New Zealand’s most trusted brands for 2015 revealed

New Zealand’s most trusted brands for 2015 revealed

Whittakers knows well the sweet taste of success.

The popular chocolate manufacturing company has been announced New Zealand’s most trusted brand in the annual Reader’s Digest ‘Most Trusted Brands’ survey released today.

Reader’s Digest Australasian editor-in-chief Sue Carney says of all the names, products and services that fight for New Zealanders’ attention, Whittakers is the one we believe in above all others. It is the number one brand across all categories surveyed - trusted to tantalise our tastebuds, and it does.

Whittakers won the confectionery category and was also announced most iconic New Zealand brand.

Dettol and Toyota sit in second and third place, respectively, on the most trusted list. All three companies have long held the mantle as trusted New Zealand enterprises. Like Sanitarium, Vogel’s, Toyota and Kiwibank, for example, they repeatedly feature as category winners.

The survey ranks New Zealand’s top 10 trusted brands, 40 category winners, and top five most trusted charities. The winner of this year’s Most Trusted Charity is St John.

The results come, not from a reader’s poll, but an independent, commissioned survey, which has been running for 14 years. Reader’s Digest commissioned Catalyst Marketing & Research to survey more than 1,211 New Zealanders to identify the products that dominate their lifestyles and hold their all-important trust.

Sue Carney says brands that feature highly have won the “crucial battle” – sometimes across generations – to build a name and a product people believe in.

“Many purchases are made with the heart and, even in this digital age, it’s the brands which continue to offer quality and substance that hold our trust.”

The New Zealanders surveyed were asked what makes a brand trustworthy. The results show they back brands that: provide premium quality at an affordable price; make life easier; have integrity and stand out from the competition; and create a strong emotional connection with the consumer.

In many cases the same trustworthy qualities that were attractive to our grandparents remain the primary motivators today.
However, Sue says, it also has to be acknowledged that the process of winning trust has shifted dramatically, with many people preferring the testimonials of their fellow consumers on social media.

“With social media comes a new era of trust.
“In a world of advertising hype and spin, we want transparency – and more than 90 per cent of us will trust the social media reviews of our fellow consumers. What’s more, many online shoppers will actively seek out these reviews as part of the shopping process,” Sue says.

The survey reveals New Zealander’s like to start their day with Sanitarium and Vogel’s and end it with Sara Lee frozen dessert – perhaps accompanied by a Heineken or Montana wine. They favour Toyotas and prefer them to have firestone tyres, and be topped up with fuel from Z. If vacuuming is a chore that can’t be ignored then Dyson is the cleaner to trust, while a Masport will take care of the lawn, and Dettol will deal to the bathroom. A sleepyhead bed – New Zealanders’ favoured bed - will look even better than ever at the end of such an active day.

The full list of brands and companies to fare well in the trusted survey features in the latest New Zealand Reader’s Digest.

The top ten Most Trusted Brands in New Zealand for 2015* are: Whittakers (1), Dettol (2), Toyota (3), Sony (4), Panadol (5), Tip Top ice cream (6), Yates (7), Resene (8), Sleepyhead (9) and Janola (10). *Of brands surveyed.

The top five Most Trusted Charities, in order, are: St John, Cancer Society of NZ, NZ Breast Cancer Association, Land Search & Rescue and Red Cross.

ENDS

© Scoop Media