Retail ranks as the third most intimate industry in our 2022 rankings. This year four of the top 20 brands are in retail: Trader Joe’s, Costco, H&M, and Amazon.
Retail has an average Brand Intimacy Quotient score of 47.5, well above the cross-industry average of 36.8. The category has improved its Quotient score since our last study by 4 percent.
Fulfillment remains the dominant archetype this year, and indulgence has increased considerably, demonstrating our need for pampering and gratification continues to rise. Retail also ranks first across all industries for bonding, the middle stage of Brand Intimacy.
In comparing Trader Joe’s and Costco, we see Trader Joe’s emerging as the more intimate brand, with higher stage performance and stronger archetype performance in four of the six Brand Intimacy archetypes. Both brands have keywords linked to delicious food.
