“It makes logical sense that companies with trusted brands should generate more business, which in theory should fuel gains in the stock price. In fact, a new study by consulting firm AlixPartners shows just that,” Marc Lichtenfeld reports for TheStreet.com.
Lichtenfeld reports, “The brands that wowed consumers included Apple, General Electric and Proctor & Gamble. Among those that disappointed them were Gap, Pfizer and Ford.
“Sony is the brand that came out on top in terms of winning consumer trust,” Lichtenfeld reports. “Fred Crawford, managing director of AlixPartners, contrasts Sony with Apple, which also came out near the top. ‘Sony has not been on the leading edge of technology, but it builds solid, reliable products.’ Apple was viewed as a product leader but received bad grades in price and service. ‘Apple is perceived as an innovative company that charges too much for their products,’ he suggests.”
“Apple shares rose nearly 700% between 2004 and 2007, while Sony actually lagged the S&P by about 1%,” Lichtenfeld reports.
“The lowest-scoring brand was Ford, which had ‘good awareness but an abysmal trust score,'” Lichtenfeld reports. “The survey broke down customers’ experience by five categories — price, access, product, service and experience. Some 5,000 consumers were asked 60 questions in the fall of 2006 to determine which were the most and least trusted brands in the U.S. Some brands such as Dell and Nike showed up in the top-10 most and least trusted brands.”
Full article with lists of the top eight brands that exceeded customers’ expectations along with the top seven that did not meet expectations here.
It’s be tough for us to imagine a more mundane-yet-frustrating existence than being a Ford-driving Dell owner who runs Windows. Okay, now we’re feeling physically ill just thinking about such a fate (shudder).
Wonder how this’ll impact the stock price after the earnings announcement? Hopefully the idiots on Wall Street also trust the stock . . . to keep going higher and higher and higher and . . .
Honda/Acura + Macs FTW!
I drive a Ford Taurus (2000) and I like just fine, thank you.
This is part of the result when you meticulously pay close attention to detail and the overall user experience.
For Pfizer, satisfaction should be measured by debilitating side effects, mortality rates or just good, cheap buzzes.
Cubert,
Can I have your Ford’s handle for rolling up the driver side window – I know yours probably fell off like mine did, but I dropped it when I was looking for the rear bumper that detached at 70MPH on the Jersey Pike.
Thanks in advance.
It is Procter & Gamble not Proctor. Sheesh
Yo! One Guy! Get yer facts straight if you’re going to correct someone. It is Proctor, not Procter. I mean, really, sheesh. Oi!
Proctor, William Cooper. US Business man. By 1890, he was General Manager of Proctor & Gamble, the company that made and marketed Ivory soap. In 1907, when he became president of the company, he began to insitute labor reforms such as profit sharing and pensions.
GE? lol they make junk.
I Have had 4 Ford vehicles in the last several years, each of which I drove 80K+ miles with absolutely no problems. My current Ford is a Ford Fusion. It is the best automobile I have ever owned. My one owner experience with a Toyota was a disaster.
And by the way, just for the record, it was the Dashboard dictionary that gave me William Proctor. Check it out.
I always said I’d only buy and American car. Then when it came time to buy a car I was leaning toward getting a volvo…. But after doing some research, I found out that volvo was bought buy ford in 1997, so it was all good, and I bought my volvo.
I don’t like this bad-mouthing of ford that you fools like to partake in.
WORD
How can Sony possibly land on top of a MOST trusted brand list? What kind of stupid ignorant … hold on … we’re talking about an American survey right?
Oh well, if Dubya can get elected twice, what else is surprising?
Who took out my mia culpa? Was it because I used a certain word? In any case, I will repeat myself. Kindly.
I am an idiot. I went to PG.com, and sure ‘nough, It is PROCTER, not Proctor.
Guess those high school lessons on PRIMARY SOURCES were good lessons.
Apple-poly-ologies, One Guy.
There. Clean ‘nough?
Well, I’ve got a Ford Ranger 4×4 and an Explorer. No problems yet, and I have yet to be stuck in the Nebraska snow.
Now, would I say that my driving experiences equal the joy of computing with OS X? Hell, no. I’m on macdailynews.com, not ford.com
Perhaps MDN runs something like hondadailynews.com?????
Keep the car brand opinions on there.
Apple does a great job with the quality of their products. They’re built well, they’re innovative, and Apple backs them up with some pretty great customer support.
It’s a recipe for success. Apple simply does not sell crap, and they have good people. Why can’t all companies be like that?
A company is charging too much for its products, relative to quality, only when people aren’t buying what you have for sale.
Using that criteria, Apple is most definately NOT charging too much for their products.
“Sony is the brand that came out on top in terms of winning consumer trust,”
Sorry, but I can’t believe this survey is legit. Not after:
1. Sony batteries exploded.
2. Sony CD rootkit.
3. Sony DVDs won’t play because of ARccOS DRM.
If the survey is indeed correct, that says something about the ignorance of the consumers and the failure of the media to inform.
“How can Sony possibly land on top of a MOST trusted brand list?”
Sony spent decades building its brand equity. It has only been the last several years that Sony has been stumbling. They are living off the equity they previously built.
I hae a Mercury villager (97). It has 2ooK miles and is still going strong after 10 years.
Too bad the rust is going to kill it first.
My 97 ‘stang convertable is still running strong, although I agree I would never put a dell in it. Course, what could a macmini do for me??? hmmmmm……
Jim ..
Wish I still had my ’66 ‘Stang ragtop – 289 / 3 speed !
wonder what it would be worth today ?
“Apple shares rose nearly 700% between 2004 and 2007….?
Life is good to an AAPL holder
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proctology |präkˈtäləjē| noun
The branch of medicine concerned with the anus and rectum.
It’s Procter & Gamble.
I have always had good luck with Fords.
And JEEPs. And that one Subaru.
Also with P&G, Sony, and GE jet engines.
But that’s just me…..