Today, Marigold revealed findings of our new Relationship Marketing Trends: Brand Rankings Report, where 200 top brands were ranked on how consumers' views shape their relationships with brands and what they’d like to see more of from them, including more personalization, gamification, and loyalty. In short, our report confirms that nearly 70% of consumers will pay more for brands they love and outlines strategies for earning and keeping their love.

What is the Relationship Marketing Trends: Brand Ranking Report and why should you read it?

Marketers today are always looking for more effective ways to engage consumers. At Marigold, our mission is simple: Find your people. Really get to know them. Make them superfans.

Our new data reveals insights into consumer preferences driving marketing decisions, and explores the influence of brand relationships. In this year’s research, consumers revealed critical insights into areas like personalization – (4 out of 10 citing frustrations with receiving irrelevant content or offers from brands they frequented in the last six months); omnichannel experiences: with email remaining on top (over half preferring it), SMS, social media platforms, and mobile app notifications also ranked high; trust – (considerable numbers of consumers are willing to share data with their favorite brands); and lastly, loyalty, by which consumers revealed they could be won back by brands in a multitude of ways.

“In today’s competitive marketplace, gaining and retaining loyal customers is increasingly challenging,” says Micki Howl, CRO of Marigold. “Our new Relationship Marketing Trends: Brand Rankings Report underscores what we share with our clients daily—that brand loyalty is earned through personalized interactions, seamless omnichannel experiences, and a genuine commitment to understanding customers. This report provides valuable insights into the ‘secret sauce’ of effective marketing, offering strategies to help marketers achieve more with less by targeting the right audience with the right message at the right time.” In fact, you’ll see that nearly seven in ten consumers will even pay more to shop with the brands they’re loyal to rather than their competitors. Let’s see why.

What really matters to consumers in their favorite brands

With Marigold’s Relationship Marketing Trends: Brand Rankings Report, a consumer study with data and insights on 200 brands, our research partner Econsultancy surveyed 21,700 consumers from the USA, UK, and France. The survey performed during July and August this year paid close attention to responses collected which were globally representative across age and gender. Consumers ranked these brands on 1) Personalization: how effective brands are at delivering truly tailored messages, 2) Omnichannel experiences: how proficient brands are at delivering consistent, seamless experiences across different channels, 3) Trust: how confident consumers feel with brands handling their personal data responsibly, and 4) Loyalty: the level of connection consumers feel to brands. Some of these results were surprising, and some pointed towards notable innovation by these brands.

For example, Adidas’ adiClub loyalty program uses a multi-faceted approach to engagement and rewards, whereby members earn points not only for interacting with the Adidas app and submitting product reviews, but by staying active themselves – a tiered offering, increasing benefits across four levels. Chili’s restaurant chain, on the other hand, created an arcade-inspired game with their Joe ChiliHead character interacting in a gamified experience involving villains from “the evil Fast-Food Syndicate.” The game brings the benefit of boosting My Chili’s Rewards memberships through over-the-top rewards, while setting Chili’s apart from competitors who routinely raise prices due to inflation. For Media & Entertainment brands, The Guardian stands out for their consistent, transparent communications, as well as the breadth and depth of their newsletter options.

Pivotal ways brands are differentiating themselves (and how you can, too)

Whether you’re a brand included in our research or not, we’re sure you’ll find something of value, whether it be unexpected insights into how leading brands are distinguishing themselves, or how customers of a brand you follow ranks them on personalized communications. Heading into 2025, brands can learn to employ these attributes, revealed in the key report takeaways:

  • Personalization: Out of all industries researched, retail brands command the highest ratings in engaging consumers, having especially high personalization scores, through tailored experiences and hyper-personalized content. However, the research showed that last year 40% of consumers were frustrated by irrelevant content, with 33% feeling their needs are unmet by brand messages. This shows how important it is for brands to leverage customer data effectively to deliver timely, relevant messaging, delivered when and where they prefer. 
  • Zero-party data (ZPD) is the key to increasing personalization. Retailers, in particular, are honing in on zero-party data strategies that reward customers for engaging in surveys and polls to deliver highly personalized offers and experiences to gain greater interest and trust. Consumers rank discounts/coupons (95%) and loyalty points/rewards (94%) highest in this value exchange, (early or exclusive access to offers closely follows (88%), as well as a chance at winning something (83%).
  • Omnichannel experiences: Personalization across various channels is a consumer expectation these days, and thus omnichannel, customized, highly targeted experiences are a must no matter your industry. Email still gets top marks as the number one channel of communication, with over half of consumers stating they’ve made a purchase from an email in the last year
  • Trust is fundamental for relationship building in brands. It is essential for collecting personal data and fostering loyalty. Over half of consumers (57%) feel comfortable sharing data with their favorite brands, and 49% consider a brand’s reputation more important than price when purchasing.
  • Loyalty proves inordinately valuable. In fact, nearly 70% of consumers will pay more to shop with the brands they’re loyal to rather than less expensive brands. To maintain this loyalty, these brands need to satisfy consumers’ preferences in key areas like gamification, customized communication, and data privacy.

Wrapping it Up

Overall, the Marigold Relationship Marketing Trends: Brand Rankings Report ​​uncovers secrets to consumer preferences serving as a guide for brands to extend their reach. It will help get you that much closer to making your customers superfans through relationship marketing. 

Find out how Personalization, Omnichannel experiences, Trust, and Loyalty will play a part in your own upcoming campaigns. Don’t miss this opportunity to find out what your target consumers are thinking and how you can utilize these findings for success in your market. For more information, and to get all the juicy insights and brand rankings, download the full report, here.

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