Hershey’s Holds on to Top Consumer Goods Spot in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy COVID Study

Ben & Jerry’s is #1 industry brand consumers can’t live without

The consumer goods industry ranks fifth out of the 10 industries featured in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy COVID Study, a study of brands based on emotional connections during the pandemic. Amid increased demand and sales that are on the rise, Hershey’s is once again the #1 category brand, followed by Ben & Jerry’s and Kellogg’s, respectively.

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The remaining brands in the top 10 for the industry are Nabisco, Pillsbury, Quaker, Stouffer’s, Campbell’s, Betty Crocker, and Nestle. Despite ongoing manufacturing and supply chain challenges since the pandemic, Brand Intimacy performance for the consumer goods industry has increased by an average of 3 percent, demonstrating the continued solace these brands have provided.

“Several consumer goods brands saw increased demand and sales last year, as more people stayed home and many restaurants remained closed or offered limited menus,” said Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. “The industry is the only one in our study where nostalgia is the dominant archetype, highlighting consumers are continuing to take comfort in the foods of their childhood. Brands in this space have assumed the role of soother during the pandemic and we believe they can continue to build up on the emotional connections forged and deepen their bonds in the future.”

Additional significant consumer goods industry findings include:

• Consumer preference for Kellogg’s and Nabisco has increased, while preference for Campbell’s and Quaker has declined
• Consumer goods perform better with women than men, and with consumers over 35 years old versus those under 35 years old
• Can’t live without, a measure based on a ten-point scale that determines how essential a brand is to our lives – has risen by 70 percent since our 2021 study, further highlighting reliance on consumer goods brands

MBLM also analyzed the industry in an article entitled “Finding Comfort During the Pandemic”. The piece looks at how the industry is experiencing an increase in building emotional bonds with consumers, and how many of these brands have shifted their messaging since the pandemic started last year.

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