M&M’s, Hershey’s Find Brand-Equity Sweetness

Marketing Charts, June 11, 2009 — Plain M&M’s and Hershey’s Kisses scored highest in a ranking of 1,000 US consumer brands with the most brand equity, while a number of financial brands plummeted to the bottom of the list because of the economic crisis, according to (pdf) results from Harris Interactive’s 2009 EquiTrend study.

The annual study, which rated 1,000 high-profile brands based on seven base measures, found that trusted, non-volatile brands are holding steady in the face of economic turmoil. Food brands - particularly comfort foods such as candy, continue to dominate the top-10 list. Candy brands accounted for four of the top five and five of the top 10, while another feel-good food, Campbell’s soup, made the list at #7.