Jack Daniel’s slipped a notch in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy ratings this year to No. 4 after Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Mountain Dew, but still leads all beverage/alcohol brands. Heineken is second among bev/al brands and No.5 in overall ratings, followed by Budweiser (3/6), Coors (4/8) and Miller (5/10).
Beverage brands perform better with men than women, and with consumers over 35 years old versus those under 35 years old. The study suggested that fewer new users are connecting with beverage brands, but it also found that those who are connecting were able to deepen their relationship to the most significant level.
“Can’t live without” (a measure based on a ten-point scale that determines how essential a brand is to our lives) has risen dramatically by 75% since MBLM’s 2020 brand intimacy study, further highlighting consumers’ continued reliance on beverage brands.
The beverage industry ranks second out of 10 (behind health & hygiene in first place) for the percentage of consumers willing to pay 20% more for beverage products and services. This highlights that consumers value beverage brands highly and are willing to pay more for their favorite drinks. The percentage increased by 35% since the 2020 COVID study.
The study suggests Jack Daniel’s “magic” was its messages helping consumers to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic, especially its “enjoy a drink at home” messaging.
Building and maintaining strong emotional connections with users is a core tenet of Brand Intimacy and a key principle for navigating challenging times., MBLM says in the study.
“The continued impact and longevity of the pandemic requires beverage brands to think about maintaining strong emotional connections with current users and attracting new users in more carefully considered ways. Given that consumers relied heavily on e-commerce for the delivery of alcohol brands, determining new channels of engagement will be a key consideration for brand success,” the study says, adding:
“Importantly, although beverage brands have been essential during the pandemic, the industry ranks seventh out of ten in our study. Beverage brands must prioritize establishing stronger relationships, nurture deeper customer connections, leverage relevant channels, and encourage more dialogue and interaction with consumers to improve their performance.