The Harris Poll’s 32nd annual EquiTrend Study reveals the strongest brands across the media, travel, financial, automotive, entertainment, retail, restaurant, technology, household, and nonprofit industries, based on consumer response.
NEW YORK, April 1, 2020 –
The Harris Poll EquiTrend survey is fielded each year in January, therefore, the results released today are based on data collected before much of the U.S. was impacted by events surrounding the global pandemic, COVID-19. 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 2020 EquiTrend Brands of the Year
This year, the 32nd 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 | 2020 Award Companies |
Nonprofit | Animal Welfare Nonprofit | American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) |
Media | Audio Streaming Services | YouTube Music |
Restaurant | Burger Restaurant | Culver’s |
Restaurant | Casual Dining Restaurant | The Cheesecake Factory |
Restaurant | Chicken Restaurant | Chick-fil-A |
CPG | Coffee | (TIE) Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee/Starbucks Coffee |
Restaurant | Coffee Shop | Krispy Kreme |
Tech | Computer Manufacturer | Microsoft Computers |
Retail | Convenience Store | Wawa Convenience Store |
Home | Coolers | YETI Coolers |
Restaurant | Delivery App | Postmates |
CPG | Deodorant | Dove Deodorant |
Retail | Department Store | Kohl’s Department Stores |
FSR | Digital Investing | Vanguard Personal Advisor Services |
FSR | Digital Wallet | PayPal |
Nonprofit | Disability Nonprofit | National Autism Association |
Retail | Drug Store | Walgreens |
Travel | Economy Hotel | Baymont Inn & Suites |
Home | Exercise Equipment | ProForm Exercise Equipment |
Travel | Extended Stay Hotel | Home2 Suites by Hilton |
Media | Factual Entertainment Television | Discovery Channel |
Tech | File Storage | Google Drive |
Retail | Footwear Store | DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) |
Travel | Full Service Airline | Hawaiian Airlines |
Tech | Gaming Console | Nintendo Gaming Consoles |
Media | General Entertainment Television | AMC Television Network (American Movie Classics) |
CPG | Greeting Card | Hallmark Greeting Cards |
Retail | Hardware & Home Store | Lowe’s Home Improvement |
Retail | Health & Beauty Retail | Bath and Body Works |
Home | Health & Fitness Club | Planet 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 | Windex Household Cleaner |
CPG | Ice Cream | Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream |
Home | Insulated Drinkware | YETI Rambler |
Nonprofit | International Aid Nonprofit | Food For The Poor |
FSR | Investment | Fidelity Investments Financial Services |
Media | Kids TV | Disney Channel |
CPG | Laundry Detergent | Tide Laundry Detergent |
FSR | Life Insurance | (TIE) MassMutual Insurance/Prudential Life Insurance |
Auto | Luxury Automotive | Mercedes-Benz Vehicles |
Retail | Luxury Department Store | Neiman Marcus |
Travel | Luxury Hotel | Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts |
Tech | Mapping App | Google Maps |
Retail | Mass Retailer | Amazon |
Tech | Media Streaming Device | Amazon Fire TV/Fire Stick |
Restaurant | Mexican Restaurant | Chipotle Mexican Grill |
Travel | Midscale Hotel | (TIE) Holiday Inn Express Hotels & Resorts/Wyndham Garden Hotels |
Nonprofit | Military & Veteran Serving Nonprofit | Disabled American Veterans (DAV) |
FSR | National Bank | CHASE Bank |
Media | News Service | National Public Radio (NPR) |
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 |
Restaurant | Pizza Restaurant | Pizza Hut |
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 | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate |
Restaurant | Sandwich Shop | Panera Bread |
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 | NCAA Football |
Retail | Sporting Goods Store | Finish Line Sporting Goods |
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 | Apple Siri |
Tech | Wearable Tech | Apple Watch |
Telecom | Wireless Carrier | Verizon Wireless |
CPG | Yogurt | Chobani Greek Yogurt |
Nonprofit | Youth Nonprofit | Girl Scouts of the USA |
Methodology
The 2020 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 1,708. 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