Apple placed sixth on the NetBase report of Most Loved Brands of 2018 while the five that scored higher wouldn’t get so much love without Apple devices.
In NetBase’s fourth-annual survey, Instagram was No. 1, followed by YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, and Google. The four brands rounding out the top 10 were Disney at No. 7, followed by Snapchat, Spotify, and Netflix.
Apple’s value is often measured by touchy-feely stuff. Apple, like few brands, cultivates consumer love with product design, functionality, and advertising that tries to convince us our friendships would be better and lives more productive and creative with Apple devices.
In March, Apple ranked first in brand intimacy among millennials according to a study conducted by the marketing firm MBLM.
“The brands in our Top 100 (list) represent a variety of brands old and new that are successfully connecting with their customers through unique and innovative social engagement,” Paige Leidig, Netbase’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “It’s no surprise that social media brands topped the list this year… These brands effectively connect consumers and encourage a passionate connection with them.”
NetBase used social analytics technology to examine more than 700 global social media mentions, ranking beloved brands in social media, tech, consumer goods, automotive, food and beverage and telecommunications.
NetBase says the findings are valuable, showing how passion often trumps price.
While the study covered 16 countries, 52 percent of Top 100 brands come from the United States. Two other countries, Japan and the United Kingdom, each scored 9 percent of the brands on the list.
