Blackberry, Sears and Budweiser lag again; consumers add Volkswagen, Whole Foods and American Apparel to 2016 list.
Emotional engagement, a key measure of how well brands meet consumer expectations, is a leading indicator of consumer loyalty and brand profitability. But according to 42,792 American consumers who participated in Brand Keys’ 21st annual, 2016 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI) survey, conducted by Brand Keys, the New York-based market research consultancy, 10 brands—in the automotive, technology, retail, food and beverage categories—substantively disappointed their own customers.
The 2016 10 least-engaging brands include the following (presented in reverse order beginning with the brand with the lowest emotional engagement strength. Percentages indicate each brand’s emotional engagement strength versus their category’s Ideal (calculated to be 100%).