Brand agency MBLM is finalizing its 2020 Brand Intimacy Study, which it calls "the largest study of brands based on emotion." The research shows that when consumers connect with brands on an emotional level, they develop a strong sense of loyalty to those brands. The companies behind those brands form better, longer-lasting relationships with their customers, with stronger bonds that can turn into repeat business.
The report cites a number of advantages for companies that make these attachments based on emotion. But there's also a clear benefit to investors: According to the report, brands that customers connect with intimately tend to outperform the average company within established financial indexes for both revenue and growth over the past 10 years.
Let's take a look at the five brands that resonate most with millennials in 2020, and some of the reasons for those connections.