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While there are several other brand lists and rankings out there today, ours is the only one that speaks directly to consumers to find out which brands are the most indispensable to their lives.
An annual climber, the NHS soars into first place this year. For over 70 years the NHS has stood as a symbol of national pride with a devout commitment to principles of equality and humanitarianism. People overwhelmingly believe in its commitment to improve their well-being and say it fills an important need in their life. While the future remains unclear, what is abundantly obvious is just how important it remains to the UK national identity and sense of Britishness.
This tech wizard is so much more than ear candy. In the UK, Spotify jumps up five spots this year and is on track to have won over four out of 10 listeners by 2023. Its much-loved AI-powered curation capabilities get cumulatively better with every tap, and it grows more intuitive about Millennials and Gen Z by the hour. And it’s winning in non-musical audio, too, acquiring three major podcast providers.
Netflix’s relevance is on the rise, fuelled both by an ever-expanding universe of new content and the nurturing of familiar friends. Stranger Things’ second season broke viewership records, and UK viewers devoured David Attenborough’s Our Planet. While it faces serious competitive threats from the looming launch of Apple Plus and Disney Plus, we doubt fans will forsake it with many respondents citing the streaming giant’s ability to continually finds new ways to tempt them – high profile deals with Beyonce and the Obamas no doubt helping.
Consumers give Sony’s PlayStation the highest marks in pervasive innovation, saying it pushes the status quo. It keeps consumers on the edge of their gaming chairs, with more people saying they are always looking for its next move than any other brand. Sony feeds that anticipation with internal and external accelerator programs, innovative marketing in social media, and games like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War.
Apple slipped from its No. 1 spot this year. But it still is a brand consumers say is among the most innovative and modern, finding new ways to meet their needs. Its service offering increasingly saturates our lives, including Apple Music, Apple Pay and the new Apple Card.
LEGO fills people with a sense of possibility – no matter how old they are. It continues to find ways to enhance digital experiences and it also excels in cultural relevance, producing sustainable bricks sourced from sugarcane, and those printed and numbered in braille.
While the wearables market is saturated, Fitbit keeps users in motion with more personalisation and a wider variety of models than its competitors. And it’s keen to collaborate with healthcare providers, to move people from simple activity tracking to meaningful lifestyle changes. With more sensors and displays, the devices address broader health and medical issues than just minding your workout.
Lush skyrocketed into the top 10 this year, powered by consumers’ abiding love for its zany products as well as deep respect for its values and mission. In an era when many companies tout sustainability, Lush keeps wowing fans with its growing commitments to a better planet, launching its first plastics-free store and its first carbon positive product.
Consumers have long revered Samsung for high-quality. But its rise in this year’s Index tells us the company’s investment in powerful storytelling partnerships is paying off. Through compelling brand connections – such as those with Spotify and Live Nation Urban, producing popular concert series ‘Rap Caviar Live’– it is gaining cultural relevance. And collaborations with Xbox and TaylorMade Golf show just how far its tech prowess has come.
People rely on many tech brands, but Google is the one Britons believe makes everything in their lives easier. From its consumer-loved products – including the highly-rated Pixel 3 – to its commitment to constantly innovating with self-driving cars through its Waymo division and the incubation of women-led start-ups.
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