The Top 20 Brands of 2020

Netflix, Amazon and Cadbury’s have emerged as just some of the brands Brits said have helped them through 2020, according to a new study by leading promotional products retailer 4imprint.co.uk.

Researchers polled the nation to discover the household names which helped deal with the ups, downs and hardships of the year, with movie and TV streaming service Netflix coming top.

Runner-up was the retail giant Amazon which kept deliveries going throughout lock-down, keeping people in supply of everything from home schooling supplies to electronics for the millions of home workers.

Not surprisingly then, nearly half (48%) of those polled said they spent more money than usual during the periods of lockdown and three quarters (75%) said it really cheered them up when they knew a delivery was on its way.

Who were the top brands?

Facebook came third place, followed by WhatsApp, YouTube and Cadbury’s.

TikTok, Marks and Spencer and Aldi were also said to have kept our spirits up, as did Instagram, Disney and Spotify.

According to The Best Brands Report, published by promotional experts 4imprint, one in four said they bought from a brand during lockdown and have since become a loyal customer and 23% insisted on buying from British brands in order to feel patriotic.

Forty-two percent said they bought from brands that had good sales and offers on, while a quarter said that speed of delivery was important to them when choosing to buy from one company over an another.

The research shows most of us would have been lost without certain brands and although technology brands featured highly, brands from more traditional industries are hot on the heels of say Sony, Sky TV or Apple.

According to the poll, when shopping online 52% of respondents said that price was the most important thing for them. A further 40% explained that the brand - in addition to the price they are willing to pay for it - matters the most, suggesting that brand awareness heavily influences buyer behaviour.

What has impressed UK customers in 2020?

It seems that competitive pricing coupled with a strong brand presence has never been more important.

Nearly half (47%) of respondents said they felt certain brands have boomed this year due to their ability to adapt. A strong online presence (44%) and the reliability (36%) of products or services were other reasons cited for success.

Among some of the most popular purchases people have made this year were clothes (25%) and DIY supplies (13%).

Twenty one percent said simple pleasures like gardening got them through the year and a quarter (25%) said a daily walk really helped.