Harris/Decima's EquiTrend® Brands of the Year for 2012

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - Amongst the twenty-six, the 2012 EquiTrend® study identifies six brands that have staying power with consumers: Apple's iPod® and iPhone®, Google®, KitchenAid®, Toyota® and WestJet®, each of which held onto its highest ranked position in Equity in its sector from 2011 to 2012. And amongst others, three brands are on the move: PC Financial®, RBC® and The Weather Network®, each of which has emerged in 2012 as highest ranked in its sector.

The 3rd Annual Harris/Decima EquiTrend® study identifies those brands that ranked highest in their respective segments on the measure of Equity. Equity is the core measure in the EquiTrend® study and is a composite of three measures: Familiarity; Quality; and Purchase Consideration. These are all cornerstones of a strong and profitable brand and of brands that Canadians know and respect.

Understanding a brand's equity is crucial for those businesses concerned with attaining or maintaining a leadership position in their industry. Brands with a high level of equity are the brands that are familiar to and touch the lives of Canadians across all walks of life. They are often top-of-mind in their categories and have earned reputations of quality and desirability, regardless of price, market share or sales.

Below is a list of the brands in the twenty-five categories that became a Brand of the Year in 2012.

2012 Harris/Decima EquiTrend® Brands of the Year
Category	Brand	Category	Brand
Airlines	WestJet	Non-Profit Organizations	Terry Fox Foundation
Appliances	KitchenAid (small)	On-line Organizations	Google
Automobiles	Toyota	Paint Manufacturers	Benjamin Moore
Computers	Apple	Quick Service Restaurants	Tim Hortons
Consumer Electronics	iPod	Retail Banks	RBC and PC Financial (tie)
Cruise Lines	Royal Caribbean	Sports Apparel and Equipment	Under Armour
Courier Companies	Canada Post Xpresspost	Sports Teams	Montreal Canadiens
Insurance Providers (P&C)	The Personal	Tablets and Smart Phones	iPhone
Insurance Providers (Health/Life)	Great West Life	Television Channels – General	CTV
Internet and TV Service Providers	Videotron	Television Channels – Specialty	The Weather Network
Mobile Phone Service Providers	Telus	Tire Manufacturers	Michelin
Motorcycles	Ducati	Utilities Companies	Manitoba Hydro
		Vacation Package Suppliers	WestJet Vacations

For marketers, brands with strong equity have an advantage because they are more likely to retain their customers in a highly competitive marketplace. "The customers of these brands are more likely to speak positively about the brand. Word-of-mouth endorsement, whether face-to-face or on line, is one of the most trusted sources of information for consumers in a world where there is no shortage of detailed information about different products and services," said Richard Cooper, Senior Vice President at Harris/Decima.

More than a measure of customer satisfaction or advocacy

Apart from Equity, the Harris/Decima EquiTrend® study includes a total of fourteen other measures, covering aspects such as the ability of consumers to feel connected to a brand, its performance versus their expectations, perceptions of the brand's "Momentum" (energy, ubiquity, popularity, future outlook and leadership in its category). The study also measures a brand's level of Advocacy among consumers, its level of "saboteurs" (those who speak poorly of the brand) and the level of followers or activists it has in social media.

Of all the measures included, the study finds the strongest correlation is between a brand's Equity and the extent to which consumers feel connected to the brand – do they have positive feelings about the brand? Does it fit with the way they perceive themselves? And does the brand meet their expectations?

Methodology

The Harris/Decima EquiTrend® study was conducted among 13,384 Canadians aged 15 or older across all regions of the country. 956 brands were included in the 2012 study. The sample was drawn from the Harris/Decima online panel of Canadians and surveys were conducted in July and August 2012. Data were weighted to be representative of the entire Canadian population of consumers ages 15 and over on the basis of age, gender, and region.

About Harris/Decima

Harris/Decima is a long-established Canadian research company and a subsidiary of Harris Interactive - one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Harris/Decima offers expertise in a wide range of industries and fields including Financial Services, Food Service and Retail, Business Services, Travel, Automotive, Lottery and Gaming and Public Affairs. Serving clients in multiple global markets through our North American and European offices, Harris Interactive and Harris/Decima specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisdecima.com or contact:

For a complete listing of all the brands covered in the study, contact Alex Kus at 416-355-6809 or [email protected]

The Harris/Decima EquiTrend® study results disclosed in this press release may not be used for advertising, marketing or promotional purposes without the prior written consent of Harris/Decima.

Product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Harris/Decima

http://www.harrisdecima.com