Dive Brief:

• YouGov released its annual list of best brands, per a blog post. Band-Aid topped the list, followed by cleaning product brands (Dawn at #2 and Clorox at #5), food brands (Hershey's at #4, M&M's at #6 and Quaker at #9) and home improvement brands (Lowe's at #8 and Home Depot at #10). Amazon.com, the e-commerce giant that also serves as a streaming video platform, and Netflix rounded out the list at #3 and #7, respectively.
• Comcast's Xfinity and Chipotle were the most improved brands in the U.S., while Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soups made significant gains as consumers stocked up on long-lasting food supplies during the lockdowns. Lysol was the sixth most-improved brand.
• The YouGov rankings reflect consumer behaviors changes that were caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including an emphasis on cooking, cleaning, home improvement, e-commerce and streaming video while consumers spent more time at home.

Dive Insight:

Brands of cleaning products, comfort foods and companies that make at-home living easier dominate YouGov's top ten brands in the U.S., a reflection of how daily life has changed amid the global pandemic.

"With mandated stay-at-home orders for much of America, the home became the epicenter of daily life with consumers looking for simple home health, entertainment and comforts," said Charlie Taylor, global head of product client services at YouGov, in a statement.

Among the brands showing the most improvement, Xfinity's improvement reflected not only U.S. residents' greater use of television during the lockdowns but also their reliance on internet services as schools and workplaces adopted remote services. The second most-improved, Chipotle, won over customers turned off by a series of food safety scandals by beefing up its loyalty program and adding new items on its limited menu, per YouGov.

Home improvement retailers Lowe's and Home Depot are also on the U.S. top 10 list, reflecting the category's general health during the pandemic, as consumers found themselves at home with time on their hands to complete projects. 

U.S. rankings are compiled from daily interviews with consumers conducted between October 2019 and September 2020. Respondents were asked their views on nearly 2,000 brands, and brand health was calculated by taking the average scores from five areas: impression, quality, value, satisfaction, recommendation and reputation.

Globally, tech companies such as Google, YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook, are all in the top 10, as are Netflix and Amazon. YouGov used data from 33 markets to compile its Global Leaders List. Digital companies dominate that list because they are often available everywhere. However, older brands like Ikea and Nike showed strength, thanks to their brand presence and reputations in multiple markets.