In partnership with
2015 COUNTRY REPORT
UAE
2 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
BRAND INTIMACY AT A GLANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
- How It’s Different . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- How It Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
- Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
KEY FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
- UAE Brand Intimacy Rankings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
- Top 10 Leaders at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
- Two Leading Brand Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
- Notable Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
- Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
COUNTRY FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
- Global Perspective on Intimacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
- Country Snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
UAE INDUSTRY FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
ABOUT US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
3BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
Whether they be a director general, a CEO of a family business, or an entrepreneur, our clients assert
that the UAE marketing landscape is undergoing some profound changes . Traditional advertising
and promotional channels are yielding limited returns . Achieving digital integration within a siloed
organization is complex . Social media is pervasive but often a minefield . Strategy, set in stone for years
ahead, is not agile enough to keep up with the times .
It seems clear that the UAE market has outgrown the tradition of importing global best practices and
simply localizing them . Marketing departments, both big and small, can sense the need for a new
approach, but constraints related to shrinking resources, budgets, and timelines currently challenge
the status quo .
Brand Intimacy provides a different perspective for the marketing challenges of today .
Based on the fact that emotions drive-decision making and behavior, we define Brand Intimacy as an
essential relationship between a person and a brand that transcends purchase, usage, and loyalty . And
because how we choose products, access information, and customize and make decisions has resulted
in a new landscape before us, it presents a different perspective, new tools, and a new approach designed
for today’s evolving and adapting world of consumption .
In the five years since starting MBLM Dubai, we have been examining, theorizing, and testing the
principles of Brand Intimacy with our roster of B2B and B2C clients . This year, we have taken it a step
further by conducting UAE-specific Brand Intimacy research to further quantify and gain a deeper
understanding of the implications .
We look forward to hearing from you and working together to build intimate brand relationships
throughout the region .
William Shintani, Partner
MBLM, Dubai
Jae Hwang, Partner
MBLM, Dubai
NEW MARKETING REALITIES
4 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
BRAND INTIMACY
AT A GLANCE
5BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
9
INDUSTRIES
400
BRANDS
6,000
CONSUMERS
52,000
BRAND EVALUATIONS
3
GEOGRAPHIES
Although most would agree effective brands create powerful connections with users, it’s important to note
how few studies or methodologies actually measure the emotional intensity of brand relationships . Brands
are still largely depicted in purely economic parlance as intangible assets and measured through a rational
lens (Is this brand persuasive? Would you consider it? Would you purchase it?) .
Through advances in neuroscience and psychology, we have a better understanding of the decision-
making process . We now know emotion is the driver of decisions, and our rational minds retrofit the
selection after the fact . Furthermore, behavioral science suggests how we feel about a brand is the best
predictor of behavior .
Brand Intimacy is at the heart of this new thinking . We have been studying this for the last several years .
First, by understanding shifts and updates in the worlds of technology, marketing, and neuroscience, and
then completing in-depth, qualitative online communities research to better explore and understand the
idea of Brand Intimacy, resulting in over 20,000 brand stories across the U .S ., Germany, and Japan . Finally,
we have undertaken quantitative research with 6,000 consumers, featuring 52,000 brand evaluations
in the U .S ., Mexico, and the UAE to validate and better understand the implications and performance of
intimate brands .
Through the years, we continue to see considerable opportunities for marketers to strengthen
relationships between customers and their brands and ultimately improve Brand Intimacy across all
industries . This report demonstrates how Brand Intimacy was specifically created to optimize the way
people live today, fuel the way people think and make decisions, and outperform financial indices in terms
of growth and profit .
HOW IT’S DIFFERENT
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RANKINGS OF BRANDS BASED ON EMOTION
6 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
Quantitative research has helped determine our Brand Intimacy Model, which comprises five key
components that contribute toward building intimate brand relationships . The model culminates in a
Brand Intimacy Quotient, a score each brand receives indicating its performance .
In our research, user is defined as someone who has utilized the brand within the last 12 months and is
between the ages of 18 and 64 . This was to get a broad array of consumers; obviously, age priorities and
mix change depending on the brand and/or industry . The user is the first part in our model because you
cannot be intimate with a brand you have not engaged with or repeatedly tried . Think of this as similar to
human relationships; you cannot be intimate with someone you are not already involved with .
A strong emotional connection is a key requirement and the foundation of intimacy . We believe the greater
the emotional connection between a brand and consumer, the more powerful the relationship . A strong
emotional connection is determined by the degree of overall positive feelings a customer has toward a
brand and the extent to which a person associates the brand with key attributes .
I . USER
II . STRONG EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
I. USER II. STRONG EMOTIONAL
CONNECTION
III. ARCHETYPES IV. STAGES V. BRAND INTIMACY
QUOTIENT
75
HOW IT WORKS
BRAND INTIMACY MODEL
7BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
Stages reveal and measure the depth and degree of intensity of an intimate brand relationship .
SHARING
Sharing is when the person and the
brand engage and interact . Knowledge
is being shared and the person is
INFORMED about what the brand is
all about and vice versa . At this stage,
attraction occurs through reciprocity
and ASSURANCE .
BONDING
Bonding is when an attachment is
created and the relationship between
a person and a brand becomes more
significant and COMMITTED . This is
a stage of acceptance and TRUST is
established .
FUSING
Fusing is when a person and a brand are
inexorably linked and CO-IDENTIFIED .
In this stage, the identities of the person
and the brand begin to merge and
become a form of mutual REALIZATION
and expression .
The score assigned to each brand from 1—100 . This Quotient is based on prevalence (the percentage of
users who are intimate) and intensity (where the relationship is on the spectrum of three stages; sharing,
bonding, and fusing) . It is a shorthand score that demonstrates how a brand is performing relative to its
ability to create intimate brand relationships, and it enables comparisons to other brands in the same
category or to the industry average .
The following six patterns or markers are consistently present, in part or in whole, among intimate brands
that identify the character and nature of ultimate brand relationships .
1. FULFILLMENT Exceeds expectations, delivering superior service, quality, and efficacy .
2. IDENTITY Reflects an aspirational image or admired values and beliefs that resonate deeply .
3. ENHANCEMENT Becoming better through use of the brand—smarter, more capable, and
more connected .
4. RITUAL Ingraining a brand into daily actions—more than habitual behavior . The brand
becomes vitally important part of daily existence .
5. NOSTALGIA Focuses on memories of the past and the warm, poignant feelings associated with
them . These are often brands a customer has grown up with .
6. INDULGENCE Creates a close relationship centered around moments of pampering and
gratification that can be either occasional or frequent .
1
4
2
3
6
5
III . ARCHETYPE: CHARACTER OF BONDS
IV . STAGES: STRENGTH OF BONDS
V . BRAND INTIMACY QUOTIENT
75
8 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
WHY IT MATTERS
INTIMATE BRANDS OUTPERFORM ESTABLISHED INDICES
GROWTH FROM 2005–2014
REVENUE GROWTH % PROFIT GROWTH %
0% 5% 10% 15% 25%20%
LONGEVITY We compiled the top 10 companies from the Brand Intimacy Rankings, Standard & Poor’s 500, and
Fortune 500 lists . For each brand, our teams gathered the reported revenue and profit/(loss) for the years
2005 through 2014 from their annual reports and/or Form 10-Ks . From the data, we then calculated the
average year-over-year growth rates for both revenue and profit for the 10-year period .
Intimate brands are based on emotion, designed for today’s complexity and built to foster decision-making .
In addition, intimate brands make business sense . The Top 10 Most Intimate Brands have outperform
established financial indices for both revenue and profit growth over the last 10 years . In addition, these
brands command a price premium, enjoying more financial resilience than brands in the same industries
that are not intimate .
Intimate brands
excel over time .
9BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
PRICE RESILIENCE The following demonstrates the relationship between intimacy and price resiliency . In general, as
consumers move up from non-intimate to the highest stage of intimacy (fusing), so does their willingness
to pay a premium for a brand . The figures on the left show the average willingness to pay 20% more for
all brands in our study, and, for comparison, the figures on the right show the comparable data for Nike
users—whose most intimate users show an even greater than average willingness to pay a premium for
their brand .
Intimate brands
command price
premiums .
AVERAGE ANNUAL LIFT OF TOP INTIMATE BRANDS
PERCENTAGE OF INTIMATE CONSUMERS/NIKE USERS WILLING TO PAY 20% MORE
FUSING
NOT INTIMATE
36%
12%
50%
0%
$
(AED
)
Average
Additional
Annual
Profit
$26B
(AED
)
Average
Additional
Annual
Revenue
$494M
(AED
)
Average
Additional
Annual
Profit
$
(AED
)
Average
Additional
Annual
Revenue
GROWTH In order to determine the total dollar value of growth, we compounded the total revenue and profit for
the Top 10 Most Intimate Brands by applying each of our calculated average year-over-year growth rates
from the respective indices . We then compared the calculated total dollar value of growth for Standard
& Poor’s 500 and Fortune 500 to the total dollar value of growth for the Top 10 Most Intimate Brands
and took the average .
Intimate brands
have stronger
revenue and
profit growth .
10 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
KEY
FINDINGS
11BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
UAE TOP 10 MOST INTIMATE BRANDS 2015
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 75
#2 70
#3 68
#4 61
#5 58
#6 55
#7 54*
#8 54*
#9 52
#10 51
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
UAE BRAND INTIMACY RANKINGS
Our ranking of the Top 10 Most Intimate Brands highlights the strongest performing intimate brands . It is
based on quantitative research among consumers where our goal was to measure, validate, and better
understand how emotions impact brand relationships and further delineate which brands are most
successful at creating these bonds .
Among our Top 10, Apple takes first place, as it does in most surveys . Samsung comes in 3rd place,
Sony in 7th, and Google in 9th, suggesting a strong technology leaning among intimate brands, which
comprise 40 percent of our Top 10 . Two luxury automotive brands rank 2nd and 4th, highlighting the ability
of this category to create intimacy between its brands and consumers . Two very distinct retail brands,
Starbucks, the global coffee chain, and IKEA, the Swedish home store, both cracked the Top 10 . Dove ranks
as the only health & beauty brand featured in our report . Last, a local brand makes the Top 10, Abu Dhabi
Commercial Bank .
12 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
• Lexus recorded a 26 percent increase in sales in the UAE
in the first half of 2014, and a 20 percent increase across
the Middle East .8
• Lexus created and launched a hoverboard in 2015 .9
• Al-Futtaim Motors, the sole distributor of Lexus in the UAE,
has achieved double-digit growth in sales for the last three
to four years .10
• “The recently launched all-new turbocharged Lexus NX
and the two-door RC coupe are two new star performers
within the Lexus line-up, contributing among other key
models to around 8 percent growth in Lexus sales at Al-
Futtaim Motors .”11
• Lexus and Al-Futtaim Motors partnered with the Emirates
Open Polo Championship International 2015 as the event’s
official automotive sponsor .12
• Purchased Beats for $3 .2 billion (AED $11 .02 billion) .1
• One million Apple Watches ordered the day they
went on sale .2
• Nearly $200 billion (AED 734 billion) in revenue in 2014 (14
percent year-by-year increase) .3
• Partnerships with CarPlay and HomeKit spread Apple’s reach
into the home and the automobile, making the user’s life more
integrated into Apple technology .4
• Spent nearly $2 billion ( AED 7 .35 billion) on research and
development in the first fiscal quarter of 2015, an increase
of more than 40 percent over the year-ago figure .5
• Toward the end of 2014, the iPhone 5s became the most
commonly used smartphone in the UAE, comprising 3 .7
percent of total handsets registered on UAE networks, a
figure that increased by 22 percent during Q2 2014 and by 6
percent in Q3 2014 .6
• Apple will enter the Middle Eastern market for the first
time through the opening of two retail stores in the UAE in
2015 . It’s rumored that Apple will be granted an exemption
from foreign ownership laws and will retain 100 percent
ownership of its stores .7
• In 2013, Samsung tripled its marketing spend to USD $14
billion (AED 51 .42 billion), more than triple Microsoft’s
$2 .5 billion (AED 9 .81 billion) and Apple’s $1 billion (AED
3 .67 billion) combined marketing spend last year .13
• The company spent $13 .8 billion (AED 50 .68 billion) on
R&D in 2014 .14
• Samsung continues to lead global smartphone
market by volume .15
• Samsung plans to launch a new suite of business
offerings, dubbed Samsung 360 Services, to become
a customizable help desk of sorts for businesses’ IT
departments .16
• Samsung continues to dominate the UAE smartphone
market in 2015 . Q1 reports show Samsung leading with a
37 percent share of the market, whereas Apple follows in
second, with 18 percent of the total market .17
• In 2014, global sales increased 14 percent .18
• The brand expects to release 30 new models by 2020 .19
• Mercedes-Benz bought the rights to have its name on
the still-under-construction $1 .4 billion (AED 5 .14 billion)
stadium that will house the National Football League’s
Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta
United .20
• In Abu Dhabi, first half-year sales are up 23 percent
compared to the same period in 2014, including a 189
percent rise in the sale of C-Class models .21
• In Dubai, Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales
increased 15 percent in 2015, despite the global
slowdown in car sales .22
• Super Bowl ads targeting the male demographic showed
fathers with infants and grown children, with tagline, “Care
makes a man stronger .”23
• Dove launched a global Self-Esteem initiative and hosted
the first ever Women in the World: Generation Girl Summit
as part of Tina Brown’s Women in the World Summit
Series 2015 .24
• “Choose Beautiful” is the latest iteration of Dove’s
polarizing yet successful “Movement for Self-Esteem .” In
10 years, it has helped boost Dove sales from $2 .5 billion
to $4 billion (AED 9 .8 billion to 14 .69) .25
TOP 10 LEADERS AT A GLANCE
13BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
• Sony has had five consecutive years of declining revenue .32
• Industry competition has forced Sony to get rid of the
PC side of its business and the company’s television
division . After a string of losses, Sony sees better times
ahead for profit .33
• Sony jumped the most in six months in Tokyo trading,
pacing gains among Japanese electronics and game
makers, as investors bought back shares following a global
stock rout .34
• Spent $5 billion (AED 18 .36 billion) on R&D in 2014 .35
• Starbucks has had steady growth in both revenue ($17
billion (AED 62 .44 billion)) and assets ($12 .35 billion (AED
45 .36) ) over the last 10 years .26
• Starbucks has over 20,500 stores worldwide, with plans
for 3,000 more by 2017 .27
• The company is relocating its European headquarters
from Amsterdam to London to overcome negative brand
perceptions relating to its corporate tax history .28
• In 2014, Starbucks launched the Branded Solutions
program, where “businesses can team up with the global
coffee company to bring its coffee to the workplace .”29
• 99 percent of Starbucks Coffee is ethically sourced .30
• Starbucks partners with the Dubai Center for
Special Needs .31
• The bank increased revenue growth 25 .8 percent from
2013 to 2014 .36
• It was the target of credit card hacks in August, with
fraudulent transactions worth “thousands of dirhams .”37
• ADCB has introduced a “voice biometrics” password
system to make identification easier and more secure for
its users .38
• The bank partnered with WWF to promote and educate
customers about the importance of “Earth Hour .”39
• $59 .7 billion (AED 219 .3 billion) in revenue last year .40
• Spent $8 billion (AED 29 .38 billion) on R&D in 2014, 13 .3
percent as a percentage of sales .41
• Has spent roughly $17 billion (AED 62 .44 billion) the last
two years in acquisitions .42
• Increased profits every year for the last 10 years .43
• #1 on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers .44
• Recently revealed restructuring of Google, with formation
of Alphabet, the new parent company .45
• Announced Project Sunroof, a service that allows
customers to enter their addresses, and, after some
Google magic, learn how much they would save if they
went solar .46
• Search engine market share in the UAE is led by Google,
with an 89 .9 percent share, followed by Bing and Yahoo
with 3 .2 percent and three percent, respectively .47
• In 2015, Dubai became the first city in the region to offer
the Google Maps Street View service .48
• IKEA operates 361 stores, and more than 680 million
customers visit IKEA stores every year .49
• Over 147,000 people work at IKEA worldwide as of 2014 .50
• In 2013, there were approximately 211 million copies of IKEA
catalogs printed worldwide .51
• IKEA used its sales growth in 2014 to pay bonuses to
its workers .52
• IKEA’s net income was $3 .73 billion (AED 13 .7 billion) for
FY 2014 .53
• UAE stores are discounting prices up to 25 percent amid
hopes for expansion .54
14 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #1 #6
INDUSTRY RANK #1 #1
QUOTIENT
75 55
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
54
51
52
48
34
44
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
47
34
31
38
36
57
STAGES
20%
18%
22%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
8%
7%
55%
Apple and Starbucks are both highly ranked intimate brands that demonstrate distinct profiles,
including pivoting off varied archetypes and being in different areas of focus regarding intensity of
intimacy with their customers .
To compare and contrast the performance of these brands and others, visit our Brand Ranking Tool .
This chart shows
two strong intimate
brands with very
different profiles .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
TWO LEADING BRAND COMPARISONS
15BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
HIGHEST RANKING FOR EACH STAGE
RANK SHARING BONDING FUSING
#1
#2
While some brands are strong across all stages, some are noteworthy for their particular strength in one stage .
The following showcases some unique examples of Brand Intimacy .
IKEA has the largest percentage of sharing customers, followed by Dove . Mercedes-Benz has the
highest amount of bonding users, with Nike in second place . Apple has the largest percentage of fusing
customers, followed by Lexus in second place .
16 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
A range of similarities and differences arise when looking at the top intimate brands by age . Among 25–34
year olds, we see YouTube in fourth place and technology brands dominating the first three positions .
Those 35–44 years old have Apple, Google, Nescafé, and Samsung as their leading intimate brands, a mix
of technology and consumer packaged goods .
AGE SNAPSHOTS
RANK 25–34 35–44
#1
#2
#3
#4
DEMOGRAPHICS
Gender demonstrates unique preferences . The top 5 brands for men include Apple, Samsung, Emirates,
Starbucks, and Sony . For women, Samsung, Dove, Nestlé, Almarai, and Lipton rank highest . Overall women
report having stronger emotional relationships with retail and fashion brands, whereas men have slightly
stronger emotional connections to technology brands .
GENDER SNAPSHOTS
RANK MALE FEMALE
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
17BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
Differences are also observed by socio-economic status . Those in the higher social classes are more
likely than those in the C1/C2 social class to have stronger emotional relationships with brands from the
automotive and financial services industries .
Among those at a lower socio-economic level, Google, Samsung, and YouTube are the top brands, whereas
those at a moderate level rank Samsung, Apple, and Google as their most intimate brands . Those at a high
socio-economic level picked Samsung, Lipton, and YouTube as their top three brands . Notably Samsung is
ranked across all three levels .
SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVEL SNAPSHOTS
RANK LOWER MODERATE HIGH
#1
#2
#3
18 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
COUNTRY
FINDINGS
19BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
CONSUMERS WHO ARE INTIMATE WITH BRANDS
.
MEXICO
UAE
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON INTIMACY
TOP INDUSTRIES BY COUNTRY
RANK . MEXICO UAE
#1 AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE
#2 RETAIL HEALTH & BEAUTY RETAIL
#3 HEALTH & BEAUTY APPAREL TECH & TELECOM
Our quantitative research was conducted in the U .S ., Mexico, and the UAE . The U .S . was selected as
arguably the largest consumer market . Mexico was chosen to represent an anchor and established
presence in the Latin American market, and the UAE was added to feature a new up-and-coming player
in a growing region .
Intimacy is highest in the UAE . This suggests greater willingness to form intimate relationships with
brands . Mexico comes in second, and intimacy is lowest in the U .S .
We also discovered, besides Apple being #1 in all three countries, that automotive brands reigned supreme
and are the most intimate industry across all markets . Travel & leisure fared poorly, being the lowest—or
among the lowest—intimate industry in the U .S ., Mexico, and the UAE .
20 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
COUNTRY SNAPSHOTS
. TOP 10 MOST INTIMATE BRANDS 2015
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 73
#2 71
#3 66
#4 64
#5 62
#6 61
#7 60*
#8 60*
#9 59*
#10 59*
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
Among the U .S . Top 10, Apple takes first place . Samsung, in 10th place, is the only other technology brand
to rank . Four of the brands above are in the automotive industry, suggesting this category has a high
potential for creating intimacy between its brands and consumers . Two very different retail brands make
our list: Amazon, an online marketplace that promises a breadth of offerings, and Whole Foods, a more
upscale brick-and-mortar supermarket catering to those seeking fresh foods . Disney, the entertainment
conglomerate known for a focus on audiences, and iconic Coca-Cola are both featured in the Top 10 .
U .S respondents have a lower rate of intimate relationships at 25 percent, compared to Mexican and
Emirati consumers . Additionally, those under under 35 years old exhibit a higher level of Brand Intimacy .
Fulfillment is the most popular archetype across all brands, as it also is in the UAE .
U .S . respondents
have a lower
rate of intimate
relationships
compared to Mexico
and the UAE .
.
21BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
MEXICO TOP 10 MOST INTIMATE BRANDS 2015
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 77
#2 68
#3 64
#4 62*
#5 62*
#6 60
#7 58*
#8 58*
#9 58*
#10 57
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
The Mexico Top 10 shows a diverse mix of brands, with 33 percent being from the technology &
telecommunications industry . Health & beauty and automotive each make up 20 percent of the top
brands . American Express is the highest-ranking financial services brand in any of our Top 10 rankings,
coming in at second place . It is also notable that Mexico’s Top 10 features no local brands, showing it is a
popular market for global brands .
Additionally, consumers under 35 years old exhibit a higher level of Brand Intimacy . Indulgence is the
most popular archetype across all brands, compared to the U .S . and UAE, which both have fulfillment as
their top archetype .
Those under 35
years old exhibit a
higher level of Brand
Intimacy in Mexico .
MEXICO
22 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
We studied eight industries in terms of how
brands in these categories ranked for Brand
Intimacy, noting, where appropriate, particular
insights related to gender, age, and income .
UAE INDUSTRY
FINDINGS
23BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
Automotive is the strongest performing industry, with an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 46 . For
some context, our highest-ranking brand, Apple, has a Quotient of 75, and the average across all our eight
categories is 33 . Given the close relationship people have with their cars, and the aspirational nature of this
industry, this can be expected .
Retail, a significant form of recreation in the region, came in second, whereas technology &
telecommunications came in third, a strong showing highlighting the ability of this industry to form
intimate relationships . Entertainment performed on the low side for a category that tends to promote fun .
More surprising are the lowest performing industries: travel & leisure and consumer packaged goods .
Perhaps the increasing complexity and cost of travel, and commoditized promotions, have diminished its
appeal for consumers in the UAE . Additionally, consumer packaged goods is the lowest-ranked industry,
despite food and drink being products people often use habitually .
INDUSTRIES
AVERAGE BRAND INTIMACY QUOTIENT SCORES BY INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY AVERAGE IS 33
0% 50%10% 20% 30% 40% 60%
AUTOMOTIVE
RETAIL
TECH & TELECOM
FINANCIAL SERVICES
APPAREL
ENTERTAINMENT
TRAVEL & LEISURE
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS
46
39
37
34
29
28
27*
27*
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
24 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 6 AUTOMOTIVE BRANDS 2015
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 70
#2 61
#3 51
#4 48
#5 26
#6 21
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
Within our intimate ranked automotive brands, fulfillment is the archetype most associated with this category,
with identity a strong second . The industry average Brand Intimacy Quotient is 46, well above 33, the combined
average of the other seven industries . Lexus ranked highest and is notable for its strong intimacy performance
across stages (18 percent fusing, 18 percent bonding, and 20 percent sharing) . Mercedes-Benz has the highest
percentage of bonding consumers (24 percent), another advanced stage . Toyota has the greatest number
of sharing customers (the earliest stage of intimacy) at 43 percent, and it also ranked highest among those
25–44 years old .
MILLION
PROJECTED GLOBAL
SALES OF PASSENGER
CARS IN 201555
$ BILLION
(AED BILLION)
GCC’S AUTOMOTIVE
TRADE VALUE IN 201456
$40 BILLION
(AED BILLION)
THE GLOBAL MARKET
FOR AUTONOMOUS
DRIVING HARDWARE
COMPONENTS IN 203057
GLOBAL CAR SHARING
MEMBER GROWTH
2013 MILLION
2020 12 MILLION58
AUTOMOTIVE
25BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #4 #16
INDUSTRY RANK #2 #4
QUOTIENT
61 48
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
53
47
44
40
43
39
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
49
47
42
32
26
45
STAGES
11%
24%
20%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
12%
8%
22%
Mercedes-Benz and Audi are both promising intimate brands, with Mercedes a bit more mature as indicated by
its higher ranking . In general, Mercedes has stronger associations across almost all archetypes . Most notable is
Mercedes’ edge on nostalgia and ritual, whereas Audi scores six points higher in indulgence . Mercedes has three
times the bonding customers as Audi, whereas the majority of Audi customers are in sharing, the earliest stage
of intimacy . You can see that 28 .6 percent of Mercedes respondents note they are willing to pay 20 percent more
for its products, whereas 19 .2 percent of Audi’s say the same .
While clearly both brands have some strong associations and intimate customers, currently Mercedes presents
a more significant intimate brand, from its Quotient to its percentage of users willing to pay more for the brand .
The brand’s higher level of key characteristics associated with Brand Intimacy and its composition of intimate
users all suggest a brand with more emotional strength .
Most notable is
Mercedes’ edge on
nostalgia and ritual,
whereas Audi scores
six points higher in
indulgence .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
26 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 9 RETAIL BRANDS 2015
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 55
#2 51
#3 46
#4 39
#5 38
#6 37
#7 34
#8 31
#9 23
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
RETAIL
Retail has a Brand Intimacy Quotient average of 39, six points above the average across all categories .
Within our top intimate ranked retail brands, fulfillment is the archetype most associated with this
Industry, with indulgence a close second . Starbucks ranked highest, although 55 percent of its intimate
customers surveyed are in sharing, the earliest stage of intimacy . IKEA emerged in 2nd place, whereas
the hypermarkets Carrefour and LuLu ranked 3rd and 4th . Several restaurants, including Pizza Hut,
McDonald’s, KFC, and Subway also placed into the Top 10, with McDonald’s notable for having 12 percent
bonding, the third highest percentage in the category . Men 18–34 years old rank KFC as their most
intimate retail brand .
$22 TRILLION+
(AED TRILLION+)
GLOBAL RETAIL
SALES IN 201459
%
ESTIMATED UAE
RETAIL SECTOR
GROWTH IN 201560
2ND
THE UAE’S POSITION AS
MOST IMPORTANT RETAIL
DESTINATION GLOBALLY
IN 201461
%
THE WHOLESALE AND
RETAIL TRADE SECTOR ‘S
SHARE OF DUBAI’S GDP
IN 201362
27BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #34 #62
INDUSTRY RANK #7 #9
QUOTIENT
34 23
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
33
23
24
27
37
43
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
30
23
23
17
23
32
STAGES
1%
12%
34%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
3%
6%
20%
Comparing McDonald’s to Subway, McDonald’s is the more intimate brand, with a higher ranking . Across
archetypes, most interesting is McDonald’s 10-point lead in ritual, defined as being a vitally important
part of someone’s daily life, a desired goal for both of these brands . McDonald’s is also considered
more nostalgic and indulgent . We know 47 percent of McDonald’s customers surveyed have an intimate
relationship with the brand, whereas 29 percent of Subway’s customers do, suggesting McDonald’s is
doing more to create and deliver intimacy . The stages comparison shows that neither brand has fusing
customers, the highest form of intimacy . McDonald’s has double the bonding users of Subway and more
sharing customers . You can see that 32 .8 percent of McDonald’s respondents say they are willing to pay
20 percent more for its products, more than double the 13 .3 percent of Subway users who say the same .
McDonald's has double
the bonding users
of Subway and more
sharing customers .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
28 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 10 TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 75
#2 68
#3 54
#4 52
#5 47
#6 46
#7 37*
#8 37*
#9 35
#10 34
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
Technology & telecommunications has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 37, four points above the
average across all categories . Enhancement is the archetype most associated with this industry . Apple,
our top-ranked brand in the entire report, has the highest Quotient, 75, and an impressive mix of fusing (20
percent), bonding (18 percent) and sharing (22 percent) audiences . Samsung and Sony round out the top
three, and had significantly lower rates of fusing than Apple . Canon and Nikon, two camera brands, ranked
5th and 6th . Among telecom brands, Etisalat and du rank 9th and 10th . Social media brand Facebook ranks
7th, whereas Instagram and Twitter rank 14th and 17th, respectively .
Women ranked Samsung, du, and Facebook as their three most intimate brands in the category, whereas
men chose Apple, Samsung, and Sony . Among all respondents 18–34 and 35–44 years old, Apple ranked
number one .
592% INCREASE
THE GLOBAL CLOUD
COMPUTING MARKET
BY 202063
CAGR OF 41%
THE ANNUAL RISE
OF THE GLOBAL
WEARABLE
TECHNOLOGY
MARKET, BETWEEN
2012 AND 201864
MILLION
MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS
IN THE UAE IN THE
SECOND QUARTER
OF 201565
85%
UAE HOUSEHOLDS
HAVE A PERSONAL
COMPUTER66
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
29BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #7 #78
INDUSTRY RANK #3 #18
QUOTIENT
54 16
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
39
30
36
33
33
30
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
42
41
44
43
31
26
STAGES
7%
9%
51%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
3%
5%
9%
Sony is a high-ranking intimate brand, whereas LG is a more moderate performer . Sony’s stronger rank and
Brand Intimacy Quotient demonstrate its more mature standing . However, when reviewing archetypes, it is
interesting to note that LG generally fares better than Sony . This suggests, among its users, that LG projects
a strong image that resonates . The stages comparison is where we see more difference, with Sony having
a much larger universe of intimate customers, more than double the fusing of LG and more than five times
the percentage of sharing users . Sony has 67 percent of users in some form of intimacy with the brand,
compared to only 17 percent for LG . Relatedly, we see that 15 .2 percent of Sony’s respondents say they are
willing to pay 20 percent more for its products, whereas 9 .4 percent of LG’s customers note the same .
Sony presents a stronger intimate brand, with more customers willing to pay more for its products . It stands
to improve its archetype associations, compared to LG, and move more of its customers from sharing, the
earliest form of intimacy, into bonding and fusing . LG, which has strong associations from its archetypes,
needs to improve the intensity of its relationships and create more intimacy from its user base .
Sony has 67 percent of
users in some form of
intimacy with the brand,
compared to only 17
percent for LG .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
30 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 8 FINANCIAL SERVICES BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 54
#2 41
#3 39
#4 31*
#5 31*
#6 30
#7 29
#8 20
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Financial services has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 34, just one point above the average across
all our eight industries . Enhancement is the archetype it’s most associated with . Ranked brands include
three banks, three money exchanges, and two credit cards, speaking to the needs of the UAE market .
ADCB ranked highest, with an impressive 12 percent fusing, 10 percent bonding, and 31 percent sharing .
PayPal also performed well, coming in second, with 41 percent of customers surveyed in some form of
intimate relationship . It is also the top-ranked brand for people 18–34 years old, with Visa and MasterCard
coming in second and third .
$+
(AED TRILLION+)
SALES OF GLOBAL B2C
E-COMMERCE IN 201367
$10 BILLION
(AED BILLION)
THE VALUE OF
E-COMMERCE IN THE
UAE BY 202868
61%
UAE BANKING
CUSTOMERS
CONDUCTED BANKING
VIA A MOBILE DEVICE69
$ BILLION
(AED BILLION)
CONSUMER SPENDING
IN THE UAE IN 2014,
DOWN FROM
$166 .97BILLION
(AED 613 .31 BILLION)
IN 201370
31BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #23 #49
INDUSTRY RANK #3 #5
QUOTIENT
39 31
PAY 20% MORE 22% %
ARCHETYPES
34
24
40
30
16
15
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
36
21
41
25
21
16
STAGES
6%
8%
30%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
3%
7%
28%
UAE Exchange and Western Union are interesting comparisons, as both transfer funds (as well as other
services) . UAE Exchange has a higher ranking and Brand Intimacy Quotient, although when it comes to
reviewing archetypes, the brands are very similar in performance . UAE Exchange shows more strength in
that 44 percent of its customers surveyed that are in some form of intimate relationship with the brand,
compared to 38 percent for Western Union . UAE Exchange has twice the percentage of fusing (the most
advanced form of intimacy) customers as Western Union, as well as more bonding and sharing customers .
Importantly, 22 percent of UAE Exchange’s respondents say they are willing to pay 20 percent more for its
services, whereas only 11 .4 percent of Western Union’s note the same .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
UAE Exchange has
2x the percentage
of fusing (the most
advanced form
of intimacy)
customers as
Western Union .
32 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 8 APPAREL BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 51
#2 39
#3 33
#4 29
#5 22*
#6 22*
#7 20
#8 18
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
APPAREL
Apparel has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 29, four points below the collective average of all our
eight industries . Identity is the archetype most associated with the category . Nike is the highest-ranked
brand in the category, with a Quotient of 51, and 54 percent of Nike users surveyed are in some form of
an intimate relationship with the brand . Nike, Adidas, and Gucci all tie with five percent fusing, the highest
among apparel brands . Nike is the top brand among men, whereas women rank H&M as their most
intimate apparel brand .
DOUBLE DIGIT
INCREASE
THE GLOBAL APPAREL
MARKET’S EXPECTED
GROWTH BETWEEN
NOW AND 202071
3RD LARGEST
UAE’S POSITION AS
TEXTILE IMPORTER72
$ BILLION
(AED BILLION)
VALUE OF THE
LUXURY FASHION
AND DESIGN SECTOR
ACROSS THE UAE73
1ST
THE UAE HAS THE
HIGHEST SPEND
ON FASHION IN THE
DEVELOPING WORLD74
33BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #38 #70
INDUSTRY RANK #3 #7
QUOTIENT
33 20
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
25
34
21
25
24
30
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
22
29
18
20
23
33
STAGES
5%
5%
32%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
3%
5%
14%
Gucci and Hugo Boss are both premium apparel brands known for style and quality . Gucci currently has
a higher ranking and Brand Intimacy Quotient . However, their archetypes appear fairly evenly matched .
This suggests both brands are similar in terms of how they are perceived relative to the key associations
that help build Brand Intimacy . Gucci is seen as having a stronger identity, yet Hugo Boss is seen as more
of an indulgence . Regarding the stages, Gucci performs better, with 42 percent of surveyed customers
being in some form of intimacy with the brand, compared to 22 percent for Hugo Boss . Gucci has a larger
percentage of users in fusing, the most advanced stage of intimacy, and more than double the percentage
of sharing customers as Hugo Boss . Additionally, 17 .1 percent of Gucci’s users surveyed are willing to pay
20 percent more for its products, whereas 15 .2 percent of Hugo Boss’s customers say the same .
17 .1 percent of Gucci’s
users are willing to pay
20 percent more for
its products, whereas
15 .2 percent of Hugo
Boss’s customers say
the same .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
34 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 10 ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 50
#2 37
#3 34
#4 33
#5 32*
#6 32*
#7 31
#8 30
#9 25
#10 18
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment has a Brand Intimacy Quotient of 28, five points below the average across all our eight
industries . Ritual is the archetype most associated with entertainment . YouTube, the top-ranked brand in
the category, with a Quotient of 50, ranks #1 with both men and women . PlayStation has the highest rate of
fusing in the category, at 8 percent . Al Jazeera and BBC rank 9th and 10th, respectively, and MTV and CNN
rank 12th and 13th . National Geographic and Disney both rank higher among those in the moderate-high
socio-economic levels .
$2 TRILLION
(AED TRILLION)
PROJECTED GLOBAL
VALUE OF THE
ENTERTAINMENT
AND MEDIA MARKET
FOR 201675
45 MILLION VISITORS
VISITORS EXPECTED
RELATED TO THE
UAE’S LEISURE AND
ENTERTAINMENT
MARKET BY 202176
86%
PEOPLE IN THE UAE
WATCH TV AT LEAST
ONCE A DAY77
35BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #29 #44
INDUSTRY RANK #2 #6
QUOTIENT
37 32
PAY 20% MORE % %
ARCHETYPES
38
37
34
36
45
43
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
33
30
35
31
31
39
STAGES
8%
10%
15%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
5%
7%
23%
PlayStation ranks 29th overall and has a Quotient of 37, whereas Xbox ranks lower, at 44, with a Quotient
of 31 . PlayStation is a stronger brand related to archetypes . The stages demonstrate that PlayStation
has higher levels of more advanced stages of intimacy (bonding and fusing), whereas Xbox has a larger
percentage of sharing customers (the earliest stage of intimacy) . Related to price elasticity, there is
a significant difference between the brands, showing PlayStation’s strength . We see 41 .9 percent of
PlayStation’s respondents surveyed say they are willing to pay 20 percent more for its products, whereas
15 .4 percent of Xbox users note the same .
41 .9 percent of
PlayStation’s
respondents surveyed
say they were willing
to pay 20 percent
more for its products,
whereas 15 .4 percent
of Xbox users note
the same .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
36 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 10 TRAVEL & LEISURE BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 50
#2 33
#3 14
#4 11
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
TRAVEL & LEISURE
Travel & leisure has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 27, approximately six points below the collective
average of all of our eight industries . Fulfillment is the archetype most associated with the category . It is
surprising how this industry is performing, given the range of luxury and budget brands with well-regarded
customer experiences in the UAE . However, airlines dominate the top brands . Emirates ranks 14th overall
in our study and first in travel & leisure, with 56 percent of customers surveyed being in some form of
intimacy with the brand .
$7 TRILLION
(AED TRILLION)
GLOBAL ECONOMIC
CONTRIBUTION OF
TRAVEL AND TOURISM
IN 201378
%
TOTAL CONTRIBUTION
OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM
TO UAE GDP IN 201479
$400–$500 BILLION
(AED TRILLION)
REVENUE PER YEAR
OF THE GLOBAL
HOTEL INDUSTRY80
$563 BILLION
GLOBAL, SYSTEM-WIDE,
PASSENGER AIRLINE
REVENUE FOR 201481
37BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #14 #37
INDUSTRY RANK #1 #2
QUOTIENT
50 33
PAY 20% MORE % 28%
ARCHETYPES
52
40
36
23
36
34
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
37
33
27
24
23
36
STAGES
10%
4%
42%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
5%
5%
30%
Emirates airlines is the more intimate brand across every consideration . It ranks 14th overall, whereas
Etihad Airways ranks 37th . Emirate’s Brand Intimacy Quotient is 17 points higher than Etihad’s . Related to
archetypes, Emirates is generally stronger across the board, with the exception of indulgence and ritual,
where Etihad has the slight edge . Importantly, Emirates is 15 points higher on fulfillment, the dominant
archetype in the category related to performance .
When reviewing the stages, Emirates has 10 percent of its customers surveyed in fusing, the most
advanced form of intimacy, double that of Etihad’s . Additionally, more of Emirates’ customers have an
intimate relationship with the brand, with 56 percent in one of the stages, whereas Etihad has 40 percent
of its customers surveyed in some form of intimacy . Also significant is that 34 .5 percent of Emirates
respondents say they are willing to pay 20 percent more for its products, whereas 28 percent of Etihad’s
users say the same .
Importantly Emirates
is 15 points higher
on fulfillment, the
dominant archetype in
the category related to
performance .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
38 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
TOP 10 CPG BRANDS
RANK BRANDS QUOTIENT
#1 48
#2 46
#3 40
#4 37
#5 36
#6 32
#7 30*
#8 30*
#9 27
#10 26
*Scores that appear tied are the result of rounding four decimal point Quotient scores to their nearest whole number .
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS
Consumer packaged goods has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient of 27, six points below the average
across all our eight industries . Nostalgia is the archetype most associated with this category . Nine out of
the Top 10 brands are food and beverage related . Lipton places #1 in this category, with a Quotient of 48,
although second-ranked Nestlé has a higher percentage of fusing customers than the top-ranked Lipton,
six percent compared to four percent . Tide and Clorox rank 18th and 19th . Many long-established brands
are represented here, not surprising given that the nostalgia archetype is so dominant . It’s notable that
Red Bull, a relatively newer product, ranks 14th . Those rated high according to socio-economic status most
favored Lipton, whereas those at the moderate level chose Nestlé . Respondents at a low socio-economic
level favored Nescafé as their most intimate brand .
2X
GLOBALLY, THE
CPG MARKET WILL
NEARLY DOUBLE IN
SIZE BY 2025 TO $14
TRILLION/AED 51 .42
TRILLION82
$ BILLION
(AED BILLION)
THE TOTAL OF THE
UAE’S INTERNATIONAL
TRADE IN FOOD AND
BEVERAGES IN 201383
4%
THE PROJECTED
ANNUAL AVERAGE
GROWTH OF THE UAE
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
SECTOR OVER THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS .84
39BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
HEAD TO HEAD
BRANDS
OVERALL RANK #59 #84
INDUSTRY RANK #10 #18
QUOTIENT
26 14
PAY 20% MORE 28% %
ARCHETYPES
27
21
27
25
27
17
1. FULFILLMENT
2. IDENTITY
3. ENHANCEMENT
4. RITUAL
5. NOSTALGIA
6. INDULGENCE
25
21
25
25
35
20
STAGES
4%
1%
30%
1. FUSING
2. BONDING
3. SHARING
2%
1%
13%
Ariel is a more intimate brand today than Tide, although they share relatively similar archetype findings .
Both brands do well on fulfillment and enhancement, and they also have the same score for identity .
Tide is stronger on nostalgia, the most dominant archetype in the category . However, the stages indicate
that Ariel is stronger . Ariel has double the fusing and sharing customers of Tide . Additionally, Ariel has a
higher ranking and Brand Intimacy Quotient relative to Tide . Last, 28 percent of Ariel customers are willing
to pay 20 percent more for its products, whereas Tide has 16 .2 percent of its customers willing to pay 20
percent more .
Clearly, both brands have the potential to improve their Quotients . Today, Ariel presents itself as a more
significant intimate brand, from its ranking and Quotient to the larger sample of customers intimate with
Ariel who are willing to pay more for the brand .
Ariel is stronger when
we look at the stages,
with double the fusing
and sharing of Tide .
1
4
2
3
6
5
1
4
2
3
6
5
40 BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
EXPLORE
A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF
HOW TO CREATE, SUSTAIN AND
MEASURE ULTIMATE BRAND RELATIONSHIPS
E-BOOK
HERO BANNER
WEB/SOCIAL/PR
COLLAGE GRAPHIC
E-BOOK
BRAND INTIMACY
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PLAY VIDEO
Explore more Brand Intimacy insights and findings with our interactive
Brand Ranking Tool, industry snapshots, and country reports .
To review the sources cited in this report, please visit our sources page .SOURCES
During the spring of 2015, Praxis Research Partners conducted an online quantitative survey among
6,000 consumers in the United States (3,000), Mexico (2,000), and the United Arab Emirates (1,000) .
Participants were respondents who were screened for age (i .e . 18 to 64 years of age) and annual
household income ($35,000 or more) in the U .S . and socioeconomic levels in Mexico and the UAE (A,
B, and C socioeconomic levels) . Quotas were established to ensure that the sample mirrored census
data for age, gender, income/socioeconomic level, and region . We crafted the survey instrument using
insights from extensive qualitative research conducted on the topic of Brand Intimacy . The survey was
designed primarily to understand the extent to which consumers have relationships with brands and the
strength of those relationships, from fairly detached to highly intimate . It is important to note that this
study provides more than a mere ranking of brand performance and was specifically designed to provide
prescriptive guidance to marketers . We modeled data from a total of 52,000 brand evaluations to quantify
the mechanisms that drive intimacy . Through factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and other
sophisticated analytic techniques, the research allows marketers to better understand which levers need
to be pulled to build intimacy between brands and consumers .
To read a more detailed description of our approach, visit our methodology page .
METHODOLOGY
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
41BRAND INTIMACY | UAE | 2015 REPORT
ABOUT US
MBLM is the Brand Intimacy Agency, dedicated to creating stronger
bonds between people, brands, and technology . We integrate strategy,
design, creativity, and technology skills to shape brands for the needs
of today and the vision of tomorrow . Our partners have built B2C, B2B,
and B2G brands of all sizes and scales across continents and categories .
With offices in seven countries, our multidisciplinary teams form an
experienced and dynamic multicultural network that helps clients deliver
stronger marketing outcomes and returns over the long term .
To learn more about how we can help you create and sustain ultimate
brand relationships visit mblm .com
Praxis Research Partners was established in 2002 by three senior
market research professionals . Our guiding principle is to measure
and create growth opportunities for our clients through revenue-
driven targeting and researching on branding, positioning, and
optimization strategies . Collectively, Praxis represents more than
60 years of strategic research experience, with an analytic heritage
stemming from years spent in leadership positions at Yankelovich
Partners and the Marketing Corporation of America .
To learn more visit praxis-research .com
@mblm |
