NEW YORK, April 1, 2021 –

Measuring brand health over time, the EquiTrend Brand Equity Index is comprised of three factors – Familiarity, Quality and Purchase Consideration – that result in a brand equity rating for each brand. Brands ranking highest in Equity receive the Harris Poll EquiTrend “Brand of the Year” award for their respective categories. This year, more than 39,000 U.S. consumers assessed nearly 2,000 brands across 200 categories.

 The Harris Poll 2021 EquiTrend Brands of the Year

This year, the 33rd year that The Harris Poll has been measuring brand equity, 93 companies were awarded the coveted Brand of the Year designation across 90 categories.

Category Award Name 2021 Award Companies
Nonprofit Animal Welfare Nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society
Media Audio Streaming Services Spotify
Restaurant Burger Restaurant Wendy’s
Restaurant Casual Dining Restaurant Texas Roadhouse
Restaurant Chicken Restaurant Chick-fil-A
CPG Coffee Starbucks Coffee
Restaurant Coffee Shop (TIE) Dunkin’ Donuts /Starbucks Coffee Shops
Tech Computer Manufacturer Apple Computers
Retail Convenience Store Wawa Convenience Store
Home Coolers YETI Coolers
Restaurant Delivery Apps DoorDash
CPG Deodorant Dove Deodorant
Retail Department Store (TIE) Macy’s Department Stores/Kohl’s Department Stores
FSR Digital Investing – Hybrid Robo-Advisor Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium
FSR Digital Investing – Robo-Advisor Fidelity Go Automated Investing
FSR Digital Wallet PayPal
Nonprofit Disability Nonprofit National Down Syndrome Society
Travel Economy Hotel Baymont Inn & Suites
Home Exercise Equipment Precor Exercise Equipment
Travel Extended Stay Hotel Homewood Suites by Hilton
Media Factual Entertainment History Channel
Tech File Storage Google Drive
Retail Footwear Store DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse)
Travel Full Service Airline American Airlines
Tech Gaming Console PlayStation Gaming Consoles
CPG Greeting Card Hallmark Greeting Cards
Media General Entertainment (TIE) Freeform Television Network/FX Television Network
Retail Hardware & Home Store The Home Depot
Retail Health & Beauty Retail Bath and Body Works
Home Health & Fitness Club Life Time Fitness Clubs
FSR Health Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield
Nonprofit Health Nonprofit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Retail Home Goods Store Bed Bath & Beyond
Retail Home Meal Kit Service HelloFresh
CPG Household Cleaner Lysol All-Purpose Household Cleaner
CPG Ice Cream Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream
Home Insulated Drinkware YETI Rambler
Nonprofit International Aid Nonprofit Free the Children
FSR Investment Fidelity Investments Financial Services
Media Kids TV Disney Channel
CPG Laundry Detergent Tide Laundry Detergent
FSR Life Insurance MassMutual Insurance
Auto Luxury Automotive Mercedes-Benz Vehicles
Retail Luxury Department Store Nordstrom
Travel Luxury Hotel Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Tech Mapping Apps Google Maps
Tech Media Streaming Device Roku
Restaurant Mexican Restaurant Taco Bell
Travel Midscale Hotel Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts
Nonprofit Military & Veteran Serving Nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project
FSR National Bank Capital One
Media News Service BBC News
Auto Non-Luxury Automotive Toyota Vehicles
Auto Online Auto Shopping Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com)
FSR Online Bank Capital One 360 Bank
Home Online Home Search Zillow.com
Home Online Job Search Indeed.com
FSR Online Lending SoFi
Travel Online Travel Service Google Flights
Media Pay Cable TV Network HBO Television Network
FSR Payment Card Visa
Retail Pet Supply Store PetSmart Stores
Retail Drug Store Walgreens
Restaurant Pizza Restaurant Papa Murphy’s Take N’ Bake Pizza
CPG Popcorn Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn
CPG Potato Chip Lay’s Chips
Travel Premium Hotel Hilton Hotels & Resorts
FSR Property and Casualty Insurance AAA Insurance
Home Real Estate Agency Keller Williams
Restaurant Sandwich Shop McAlister’s Deli
Tech Smart Speaker Google Home
Telecom Smartphone Apple iPhone Smartphones
Media Social Networking Site YouTube
Nonprofit Social Services Nonprofit Ronald McDonald House Charities
Home Sport League English Premier League Soccer
Retail Sporting Goods Store REI
CPG Sports Drink Gatorade Sports Drink
Tech Tablet Computer Apple iPad Tablets
CPG Tea Lipton Tea
CPG Toothpaste Crest Toothpaste
Media TV & Internet Provider Google Fiber
Media TV Network PBS Television Network (Public Broadcasting Service)
Media TV News The Weather Channel
Travel Upscale Hotel Courtyard Marriott
Travel Value Airline Southwest Airlines
Retail Value Store Dollar Tree
Tech Virtual Personal Assistant Google Assistant
Tech Wearable Tech Apple Watch
Telecom Wireless Carrier Verizon Wireless
CPG Yogurt Chobani Greek Yogurt
Nonprofit Youth Nonprofit Girl Scouts of the USA
Nonprofit Animal Welfare Nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society

 

Methodology

The 2021 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study is based on a sample of 39,100 U.S. consumers ages 15 and over surveyed online, in English and Spanish, in the month of January.  The survey took an average of 30 minutes to complete. The total number of brands rated was 1,737. Each respondent was asked to rate a total of 40 randomly selected brands. Each brand received approximately 900 ratings. Data was weighted to be representative of the entire U.S. population of consumers ages 15 and over based on age by sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, and income. Data from respondents ages 18 and over were also weighted for their propensity to be online. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

The Brand Equity Index is the keystone to the EquiTrend program, providing an understanding of a brand’s overall strength. A brand’s Equity is determined by a calculation of Familiarity, Quality and Purchase Consideration. Brand of the Year is determined by a simple ranking of brands.

The Harris Poll EquiTrend methodology has been validated by academic business experts in the Journal of Marketing Research (1994) and International Journal of Research on Marketing (2012).

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S.; tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963. The Harris Poll is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. The Harris Poll works with clients in three primary areas; building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Learn more at www.theharrispoll.com @HarrisPoll

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Matthew Feider

Chief of Staff

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