Apple Tops COVID-19 ‘Brand Intimacy’ Survey by MBLM

Apple has ranked number one in a study of company intimacy.

In an online study of 6,000 people worldwide by MBLM, an agency that attempts to build emotional connections between people and companies, Apple was named the most intimate brand, topping Disney and Amazon.

The study, which was conducted last year by Praxis Research Partners, aims at understanding what kind of emotional bond a person might have with a company and its products.

MBLM defines brand intimacy as the emotional science that measures the bonds we form with brands. “The concept of brand intimacy is important for marketers because emotion has been proven to drive purchase decisions, and also long-term customer bonds,” explains MBLM managing partner Mario Natarelli.

According to MBLM, Apple achieved a “Quotient score” of 74.0 out of 100. Some 40 percent of users said they could not live without the brand. Meanwhile, 21 percent of responders said they would be willing to pay 20 percent more for the brand’s products and services.

The study also revealed the following:

• During the pandemic, consumers have shown a 23 percent increase in the number of brands they are connecting with emotionally.

• Media & entertainment, automotive and retail are the top three industries.

• Apple is the top brand for women and millennials, while men rank Amazon as their #1 brand.

• During the pandemic, men are forming deeper attachments to brands compared to women.

• Zoom is the top brand that people were using more during the pandemic, followed by Purell and Netflix.

• Purell is the #1 brand for consumers willing to pay 20 percent more for its services or products. Last year, the top ranked brand for this measure was Rolex.

• Brands that are part of the smartphone ecosystem increased in strength during COVID, particularly access brands like Verizon and AT&T

• New entrant Tesla ranks #1 in the automotive industry for having the largest percent of customers willing to pay 20 percent or for more the brand’s products.

The full study can be viewed over on MBLM’s website. For detailed insights, the study can be sorted by year, age, income and gender.