With a history of innovation and agility alongside a nod to an established heritage, Whittaker’s has been identified as
New Zealand’s most resilient brand.
The findings are based on the Brand Alpha Study, independent research conducted by branding agency Principals, in
conjunction with research and analytics firm The Navigators.
Conducted annually for more than 10 years with a minimum of 300 nationally representative respondents per wave, the
study has traditionally sought the opinion of New Zealand consumers around four key drivers of authenticity: visibility,
value, vitality and virtue.
This year, in light of the pandemic, the research shifted focus to look at brands through a lens of resilience.
Principals Insights Director Mary Winter said: “We wanted to form an understanding of how brands survive a crisis and
stay strong over time. What makes them resilient, in the eyes of Kiwis.”
The study began with qualitative research conducted via an online community to gauge what resilience means. The
definition that emerged was a combination of integrity and adaptability. Quantitative research then set out to confirm
this link with study participants asked to identify which brands meet the challenges of a changing world, adapt quickly
in the face of change and act with integrity.
The study found the following brands to be most resilient:
The Brand Alpha 2021 Top 20 Most Resilient Brands
Whittaker’sAll BlacksecostorePAK'n SAVEMy Food BagToyotaNew WorldLewis Road CreameryCountdownWattie’sTrade MeTip TopZoomAir New ZealandNetflixFarmersFisher & PaykelAll BirdsFonterraPals
Winter said: “Resilience is being able to stick it out when things are tough – being true to yourself and being aware of
how to keep going rather than giving up or letting standards slip. And during the past year, which has been incredibly
challenging for so many people, these brands have done a great job of imbuing such values.”
Looking at the top brands on the list, The Navigators Director Dean Harris said: “Whittaker's is a great example of a
resilient brand. Whittaker’s is great at what it does and is also extremely agile in terms of flavour innovation and
partnering with other iconic Kiwi brands such as L and Garage Project.”
In second place on the list is the All Blacks with Harris saying, “The All Blacks continue to innovate in the way the
team plays the game and also how it promotes the sport, engages with fans and New Zealand culture.”
Rounding out the top three is ecostore which in 2019 topped the Brand Alpha list as New Zealand’s most authentic brand.
Harris noted: “ecostore is a different type of retailer in the sense that the brand is on the front foot when it comes
to sustainability and developing eco-friendly products. ecostore’s core purpose is quite clear, and innovation is
directly related to this core value proposition.”
Winter also pointed out that supermarkets have a strong presence in the top 10. She said: “Supermarkets rose to the
challenge of lockdowns during COVID and demonstrated their resilience in a variety of ways which is why we have seen
such a strong response to these brands.”
The findings of the research were presented this morning at an event hosted in conjunction with the New Zealand
Marketing Association.