Insight: Marks & Spencer top brand for women
Marks & Spencer has come top in a ranking of companies’ brand impressions amongst women.
According to new YouGov analysis, the high street retailer achieved an impression score of 58 to take it above John Lewis at 54. The rest of the top five included Heinz at 53, Boots at 53 and BBC One at 51.
Director of YouGov Brand Index Michael Stacey said: “Despite reports of Marks and Spencer enduring a troubling time, particularly with regards to fashion, our findings indicate that underlying brand perception remains strong among women – which could be key if retail conditions deteriorate in the months ahead, as some analysts expect.”
Looking at brands where women’s impression has improved most over the past year, the analysis shows that Tesco came out top with an improvement of 13 points followed by Thomas Cook with a 12 point increase.
While Marks & Spencer topped the list for those aged 34-54 and 55 and older, younger women were found to have favourable impressions of different brands. Swedish furniture retailer Ikea made the best impression among women aged 18-34 with a score of 57. This was followed by Ben and Jerry’s at 55, Boots at 54, Heinz at 53 and YouTube at 52.
While Tesco was also the brand with the most improved impression among women aged under 35 with a 12 point improvement, the rest of the top five was notably different and included Snapchat, Just Eat, Spotify and Uber.
Stacey added: “Tesco’s comeback over the past year is reflected in its improving impression score, while Ikea’s position as the go-to furniture retailer for female millennials seems secure. Naturally, a focal point for all the brands on the list is to use this positive impression to nurture a long-term customer relationship that enhances good times and helps them through tougher times.”
