Apple customers have the most emotional connection to the brand versus others, study shows...

AppleInsider · October 7, 2020 2:28PM

Apple has ranked first in a listing of the most intimate brands during the coronavirus pandemic, based on emotional factors such as fulfillment and ritual.

Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider

That's according to the MBLM "Brand Intimacy COVID Study," which surveyed a series of brands and the emotional connections consumers had with them during the global health crisis. Apple also ranked highly in a broader 2020 brand intimacy study released by MBLM in May.

In addition to Apple, Amazon and Google took second and third place, respectively. Apple ranked as the top pick among women and millennials, while Amazon ranked as the top pick among men. Rounding out the top five were Walmart and Google subsidiary YouTube. Here's a full list of the ranking:

First: Apple

Second: Amazon

Third: Google

Fourth: Walmart

Fifth: YouTube

Sixth: Toyota

Seventh: Disney

Eighth: Netflix

Ninth: Chevrolet

Tenth: PlayStation

Of those, Walmart, YouTube, Disney, Netflix, Chevrolet, and PlayStation remained in the top 10 from previous rankings. Google, YouTube, and Toyota were new entrants during the coronavirus pandemic.

"There has also been a shift in focus with more media & entertainment brands in the top 10 and fewer automotive brands, suggesting consumers turned to the enjoyment provided by media & entertainment brands, and became less reliant on their cars," MBLM wrote of the new findings.

Other findings include a 23% increase in the number of brands users connect with; Zoom becoming the top brand that consumers used during the pandemic, followed by Purell and Netflix; and brands that are a part of the smartphone ecosystem increasing in strength.

MBLM carries out its studies by examining a consumer's emotional connection to a brand, including bonds like fulfillment, nostalgia, ritual, and identity. According to the firm, brands that rank highly in intimacy outperformed leading companies in the Fortune 500 and S&P 500 indices across revenue growth, profit growth, and stock price in the first quarter of 2020.

The Brand Intimacy COVID Study was carried out over late summer 2020 and surveyed 3,000 consumers across the U.S.

georgebmac · October 7, 2020 2:39PM

It's notable that, for the most part, those organizations gained their loyalty less through glitzy, fancy features and more through ongoing dependability and reliability.

Two analogies come to mind:
In its heyday it was said: "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM". That's because their products didn't break and, if they did, an IBM technician was right there to make it unbroken. It wasn't only about having a great product up front but how it was supported to make it reliable - something you could rely on, hang your job on.

And, while taking dog training lessons at a local animal shelter they told us:
"The alpha dog is not always the biggest or the toughest. It's the one that makes the rest of the pack for secure and comfortable."

These companies, and particularly Apple, fit both analogies.

rayz2016 · October 7, 2020 2:52PM

Judging by the folk round here, I’d say Android users have the greatest emotional connection to Apple.

rotateleftbyte · October 7, 2020 3:30PM

ROFL.

Of that top 10 Apple is the only one that I do business with (if at all). I refuse to use Google, Avoid Amazon and Walmart (ASDA here but not for much longer). I only visit YouTube 3 or 4 times a year. The rest are a no-no.

randominternetperson · October 7, 2020 4:07PM

AppleInsider said:

Apple has ranked first in a listing of the most intimate brands during the coronavirus pandemic, based on emotional factors such as fulfillment and ritual.

Maybe we can share the rituals we each individually perform to demonstrate intimacy with our Apple products. I'll start... oh, never mind. Not safe for work.

jedwards87 · October 7, 2020 4:08PM

Rayz2016 said:

Judging by the folk round here, I’d say Android users have the greatest emotional connection to Apple.

LOL. You got that 100% correct. Actually visit any Android community/forum and regardless of topic Apple is always mentioned. They love Apple.

sflocal · October 7, 2020 4:11PM

I can definitely say that Android trolls and iHaters have more of a connection with Apple, than Apple users do. It's downright embarrassing actually. It's almost like they're closet Apple fans but too embarrassed to admit it.

kiltedgreen · October 7, 2020 4:11PM

You can’t beat a good ritual ... but Apple products have never featured in any of mine. That would be very weird.

gatorguy · October 7, 2020 4:30PM

jedwards87 said:

Rayz2016 said:

Judging by the folk round here, I’d say Android users have the greatest emotional connection to Apple.

LOL. You got that 100% correct. Actually visit any Android community/forum and regardless of topic Apple is always mentioned. They love Apple.

They do. The better Android forums rarely post articles intended to be critical of Apple and there's a significant number of forum members in those communities with both Apple and Android devices who can speak with authority on the comparisons between the two. FUD rarely gets passed around without challenge.

In general I'd personally say major Android sites appear more tolerant of iOS users than certain iOS fansites are of Android users, of course with some exceptions (MacRumors perhaps), at least based on the ones I regularly visit.

As for regular mentions it's kinda rare here for articles opining on Apple not to somehow drag Google or Android into the discussion too, either within the article itself (DED for example always does so) or in comments from Apple fans, but in the past couple of months I think it's mellowed out some.

To me some of the worst squabbling occurs on general tech sites when they report on Apple and Google and Microsoft and....
Ars and The Verge seem to bring out the worst of the worst from both sides.

edited October 2020

flydog · October 7, 2020 4:43PM

GeorgeBMac said:

"The alpha dog is not always the biggest or the toughest. It's the one that makes the rest of the pack for secure and comfortable."

These companies, and particularly Apple, fit both analogies.

Google and Amazon make you feel secure and comfortable?

georgebmac · October 7, 2020 4:57PM

flydog said:

GeorgeBMac said:

"The alpha dog is not always the biggest or the toughest. It's the one that makes the rest of the pack for secure and comfortable."

These companies, and particularly Apple, fit both analogies.

Google and Amazon make you feel secure and comfortable?

From a privacy standpoint -- hell no!

And, although I've been using Amazon during the lock down, I generally do what I can to avoid both of them.

But, regardless, both perform their stated jobs well and millions and millions depend on them, rely on them and trust them -- and are seldom, if ever, disappointed. That's what makes them Alpha Dogs in the dog eat dog corporate world.

dewme · October 7, 2020 6:40PM

GeorgeBMac said:

It's notable that, for the most part, those organizations gained their loyalty less through glitzy, fancy features and more through ongoing dependability and reliability.

Two analogies come to mind:
In its heyday it was said: "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM". That's because their products didn't break and, if they did, an IBM technician was right there to make it unbroken. It wasn't only about having a great product up front but how it was supported to make it reliable - something you could rely on, hang your job on.

And, while taking dog training lessons at a local animal shelter they told us:
"The alpha dog is not always the biggest or the toughest. It's the one that makes the rest of the pack for secure and comfortable."

These companies, and particularly Apple, fit both analogies.

The IBM analogy may hold for IT folks and AppleInsider readers, but Apple does much more to connect with a much broader and diverse range of customers than IBM ever did. Just look at the comments when a story is posted on AI regarding something that isn’t specifically targeted at techy geek Apple fans, say the current story about supermodels or past ones about Lady Gaga. We aren’t Apple’s only customers and they know it. They also know that we are sometimes the ones who influence purchase decisions for our friends and family so they need to maintain credibility with us as well. It sounds like they are doing a pretty good job of keeping a wide range of customers engaged and connected, which is outstanding for their future prospects. .

georgebmac · October 7, 2020 9:05PM

dewme said:

GeorgeBMac said:

It's notable that, for the most part, those organizations gained their loyalty less through glitzy, fancy features and more through ongoing dependability and reliability.

Two analogies come to mind:
In its heyday it was said: "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM". That's because their products didn't break and, if they did, an IBM technician was right there to make it unbroken. It wasn't only about having a great product up front but how it was supported to make it reliable - something you could rely on, hang your job on.

And, while taking dog training lessons at a local animal shelter they told us:
"The alpha dog is not always the biggest or the toughest. It's the one that makes the rest of the pack for secure and comfortable."

These companies, and particularly Apple, fit both analogies.

The IBM analogy may hold for IT folks and AppleInsider readers, but Apple does much more to connect with a much broader and diverse range of customers than IBM ever did. Just look at the comments when a story is posted on AI regarding something that isn’t specifically targeted at techy geek Apple fans, say the current story about supermodels or past ones about Lady Gaga. We aren’t Apple’s only customers and they know it. They also know that we are sometimes the ones who influence purchase decisions for our friends and family so they need to maintain credibility with us as well. It sounds like they are doing a pretty good job of keeping a wide range of customers engaged and connected, which is outstanding for their future prospects. .

Very true!
But my point was not to compare the two but to point out that that kind of loyalty doesn't come from flash and glitzy features or even from having the biggest & fastest. It almost always stems from grinding it out to be a reliable business partner (whether your are selling to a Fortune 500 company or a grandma). But can your customer feel comfortable that they can depend on you and your product? In the case of both Apple and IBM the answer is a definite "YES!".

netrox · October 7, 2020 10:02PM

How can anyone have an emotional attachment to Walmart? God, the world's definitely coming to an end.

randominternetperson · October 7, 2020 11:58PM

netrox said:

How can anyone have an emotional attachment to Walmart? God, the world's definitely coming to an end.

Yeah, that one and Chevrolet surprised me.

hexclock · October 8, 2020 1:53AM

You can take my Apple products...from my cold, dead hand!!!
I’m also surprised to see Google ranked so high. I certainly don’t have an emotional attachment to my copy of the yellow pages.

slurpy · October 8, 2020 2:38AM

I understand an emotional connection to Apple. Some of us have used their product for decades, watched dozens of keynotes throughout the years, witnessed them revolutionize multiple industries, the saga of SJ, have taken joy and delight in so many of their products, etc. They have an insanely rich history and legacy, from so many angles, and top of class in almost every category, from design, to technology, to software.

But how the fuck can someone have an emotional connection to companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Google? Sorry, can't understand that one.

edited October 2020

georgebmac · October 8, 2020 10:04AM

slurpy said:

I understand an emotional connection to Apple. Some of us have used their product for decades, watched dozens of keynotes throughout the years, witnessed them revolutionize multiple industries, the saga of SJ, have taken joy and delight in so many of their products, etc. They have an insanely rich history and legacy, from so many angles, and top of class in almost every category, from design, to technology, to software.

But how the fuck can someone have an emotional connection to companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Google? Sorry, can't understand that one.

As I said above:

"But my point was not to compare the two but to point out that that kind of loyalty doesn't come from flash and glitzy features or even from having the biggest & fastest. It almost always stems from grinding it out to be a reliable business partner (whether your are selling to a Fortune 500 company or a grandma). But can your customer feel comfortable that they can depend on you and your product? In the case of both Apple and IBM the answer is a definite "YES!"."

Amazon, Walmart & Google developed business models where people learned that they could rely on them and depend on their products. Trust. Trust is important. And it's a thing that many rising (mostly tech) companies talk about but never develop.

rayz2016 · October 8, 2020 6:47PM

gatorguy said:

As for regular mentions it's kinda rare here for articles opining on Apple not to somehow drag Google or Android into the discussion too,

Yeah, but it's you who brings up Google when trying to stick in a point that Google did it first.

edited October 2020

cloudguy · October 9, 2020 1:20AM

Google is on here because of Google Classroom for all the kids schooling at home. There has also been an increase in their other apps - Meet, Duo, Chat - but it is mostly Google Classroom.

Also, since Google owns YouTube, what does merging #3 and #5 get you?

Finally, where is Facebook/Instagram?

cloudguy · October 9, 2020 1:23AM

Rayz2016 said:

gatorguy said:

As for regular mentions it's kinda rare here for articles opining on Apple not to somehow drag Google or Android into the discussion too,

Yeah, but it's you who brings up Google when trying to stick in a point that Google did it first.

No, he is ALWAYS responding to misinformation, FUD and outright falsehoods brought up by others. Of the Android devotees on this site, Gatorguy - a very long timer - NEVER trolls or thread-jacks. He doesn't even respond to the vast majority of the anti-Android nonsense! So you owe him an apology for that false accusation.

Apple customers have the most emotional connection to the brand versus others, study shows...

Comments