Als marketeer is het fijn om te weten of jouw merk stijgt in populariteit, maar tegelijkertijd ben je op zoek naar het ‘waarom’. Er is immers niet slechts één route om populair te worden als een merk. Het is net als met mensen: iedere karaktereigenschap heeft een ander effect op mensen. Een populaire eigenschap bij de een, hoeft niet per definitie populair te zijn bij de ander. Dit is voor ons een vruchtbare voedingsbodem. We nemen jullie mee langs Planet Popular om een beeld te schetsen wat de meest populaire merken van Nederland met elkaar gemeen hebben, maar ook waarin zij van elkaar verschillen.

2.  Like Energy, Popularity implies a development, a motion.
 When your brand is considered to be ‘gaining in popularity’ by the average consumer, it
means you’re probably doing something right. You at least have momentum.
 It is one of the most rewarding associations you can have as a brand.
 But Popularity is also abstract, there is not one single way to become popular as a brand.
Like with people, each character has a different effect on people. What’s popular for one
man, might be intensely disliked by the other.
 We are about to explore Planet Popular to find out what ties together, or differentiates the
most popular brands of today.

3. ±

5.  Each brand is judged by 400 consumers on 48 image traits.
 Through a factor analysis* of the top brands, we were able to identify
7 distinct domains that characterize popularity these days:
*Principal Components with Equamax Rotation and Kaiser norm.

6. Popularity Domain Core Brand Objective
1. Powerful Prestige EMPOWER
2. Simplifying Value SIMPLIFY
3. Inspiring Innovation INSPIRE
4. Social Integrity CONNECT
5. Seductive Style SEDUCE
6. Carefree Experience DELIGHT
7. Brave & Bold DARE

9. Culture Characteristics
Performance
Prestige
Intelligence
Brands on this planet are powerful leaders.
But power is not much unless transported
upon others. So empowerment is key,
and Google got that. Google is powerful,
but is also capable of transmitting some of
its power to its users. Their relentless,
ongoing efforts in this area maintain their high
popularity

10. Culture Characteristics
Good Value
Trust
Simplicity
Brands on this planet make life a lot easier.
Or at least cheaper…
Simplifying product, service or experience
usually means lowering the purchase
barrier. And if that’s nicely balanced out with
the added value, the brand might have the
edge on its competitors. iDEAL is probably one
of the most succesful examples and we are also
experiencing the prosperity of Action

11. Culture Characteristics
Innovation
Fashionability
Inspiration
Innovation has been (and still is) one of the
key themes of the last decennium. The
relentless pursuit of innovative solutions
has brought us brands like Apple, Wii and
even Zalando, Dyson and Nespresso.
These brands offer relevant innovation that
fits the current Zeitgeist and are therefore an
inspiration to many.

12. Culture Characteristics
Responsibility
Honesty
Connectivity
Connectivity: another buzz word of the
past years. With reason though, as
‘making a connection’ is a popular brand
trait. This is not just about sustainability,
not just about Planet Earth. It has to do with
an honest desire to connect with your
customers, with society, with the world around
you. Brands on this planet usually start with a
very clear and often ambitious brand vision.

13. Culture Characteristics
Temptation
Charm
Style
DUBAI
Everyone likes indulging in life’s tiny
temptations now and then. You might
argue that in an economic downturn, it
becomes even more powerful. Brands on
this planet bring this level of seductive style
to the essence of their brand. It remains a
hugely popular domain as it triggers some
powerful emotions. Sometimes, the taboo factor
might conceal a bit of its massive attraction though.

14. Culture Characteristics
Pleasure
Carefree
Friendliness
TALENT
SHOWSThere’s no denying that life regularly throws
you some curve balls. It triggers the desire
to leave your sorrows at the door and
plunge into a world of carefree pleasure.
As a few of the most literal examples,
De Efteling and Disneyland offer exactly this
level of escape. But it applies to a wide variety
of brands that have banned seriousness from
their proposition.

15. Culture Characteristics
Boldness
Adventure
Energy
DANCE EVENTS
Being bold sometimes pays off.
Maintaining a good level of energy
always does. It appeals to consumers as
it implies a forward movement and a
clear brand objective. Brands on this
planet usually pride themselves on being
different and adventurous, but as a
consequence have a narrower, often
young target group.

17. Sjors Kremers
Brand Analyst
Karperstraat 10
1075 KZ Amsterdam
E: sjors.kremers@brandassetconsult.nl
T: +31 (0)20 579 5600