Netflix has topped YouGov’s 2019 BrandIndex Buzz Rankings, knocking Aldi off the top spot for the first time since 2014. However, the discounter still led the way in the supermarket sector.
Buzz scores are calculated by asking members of the public if they’ve heard anything good or bad about a brand in the past fortnight. YouGov’s Buzz Rankings are the average of these scores between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2019.
Netflix, which first entered the rankings in 2016, saw an increase of 5.0 on last year: enough to dethrone five-time winner Aldi. With a score of 19.8, the discounter lost the top spot despite improving its year-on-year performance by 1.1. Key rival Lidl moved back into the top three with 15.1, after a rise of 1.3.
The two discount chains topped the Buzz Rankings for the supermarket sector. They were followed by M&S (10.1), Morrisons (8.5), and Waitrose (7.9). After significant investment in improving its product offering and price competitiveness last year, M&S ranked as the most improved supermarket, up 3.2. It was followed by Tesco (+1.5) and Waitrose (+1.3).
Richard Thornton, Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve remained the most positively talked-about retailer in the UK. This is our seventh consecutive year at the top of the retailer rankings, and we are pleased that we continue to be at the forefront of customers’ minds as we mark our 30th year in the UK.”
Meanwhile, in the overall ranking, new entry Greggs saw the effects of its vegan sausage roll take the bakery chain straight into seventh place with a score of 11.0.
Commenting on the research, Amelia Brophy, Head of UK Data Products said: “Netflix only entered into the rankings in 2016 and has done well to be highly perceived by the public in such a short amount of time. 2019 saw Netflix focus on developing and launching original content that caters for multiple markets and demographic groups, which appears to have been successful rewarding them with multiple award nominations, including the Oscars, and ensuring that the brand was talked about positively more than ever before.”
NAM Implications:
- No.1 in the supermarket sector, the one that matters…
- If in doubt, think of where Aldi have been…
- Time for them to occupy an equivalent place in your trade strategies?
