Dive Brief:
- Video game console Nintendo Switch is the most loved brand in offline consumer conversations, followed by Gain laundry detergent, according to Engagement Labs' TotalSocial study shared with Marketing Dive. Both labels jumped ahead more than 60 spots since 2018, now ahead of the other 600 brands measured on the list.
- American Family Insurance was the most loved brand in online conversations for the second straight year, followed by many in the beauty and personal care category, such as Dove Men + Care, Avon, Mary Kay and Garnier Fructis.
- Disney World ranked No. 3 in the offline conversations ranking. Unilever's Dove Men + Care was the only brand to rank on both the online and offline lists.
Dive Insight:
Engagement Labs' latest ranking highlights how consumers are discussing their favorite brands in different forums, illustrated by the fact that the most popular brands differ significantly when compared online versus offline.
Offline seemed to be the most common way to discuss the most loved entertainment and toy brands than other categories. The Nintendo Switch ranked No. 1, Disney World No. 3, Lego No. 4, Fisher-Price No. 5, and Marvel at No. 7. These brands and others in the category can learn from this data that in-person activations and offline marketing may be more effective ways to reach consumers and establish positive associations.
Online was a different story. Interestingly, seven of the top 10 loved brands online were beauty brands. This data suggests that consumers are going online to discover and browse products in the cosmetics and personal hygiene space, which may signal an opportunity for marketers in these categories to allocate budgets and outreach efforts to online channels.
Beauty products are often thought to be easier to purchase in person where consumers can see and feel the colors and textures of products. However, brands like Sephora have been adopting new technologies to make it easier to virtually test these products online. In 2018, only 4.9% of the $10.26 billion in cosmetics sales were made exclusively online, per DigitalCommerce360. With these tools and online communities of loyal fans, marketers may be able to ramp up online sales of the category.
Several brands, including Sephora, have developed online hubs for people to write reviews, share tutorials and tips, and converse with fellow beauty enthusiasts. Creating a community of active brand advocates can drive loyalty and accelerate sales, per Engagement Labs. Nineteen percent of all consumer purchases are driven by these kinds of conversations, the researcher found.
