Can you name the top 3 most trusted brands?

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching” - C.S. Lewis

The term integrity is often thrown around but what does it truly mean for a brand to have integrity? And how can it be used to build stronger relationships?

At ProQuo, we’ve established that there are 16 Drivers of Relationships between brands and people, and these Drivers give you a deeper understanding of how your brand is performing- what areas need improvement in comparison to your competitors, and how you can build stronger relationships with your customers.

One of the 16 Drivers of Relationships is Integrity – a Driver of emotional persuasion. A brand with Integrity has principles. It always chooses to do the right thing because of the clear values it holds. Since the pandemic, we've seen integrity rise in importance across all categories as people actively look to support and engage with ethical brands.

The ProQuo 100: Brand Integrity Index reveals the top 100 trusted brands, as determined by their customers. Over the past 3 months, we have interacted with 343,828 people, collecting data on 401 brands across 48 categories to determine who the most trusted brands are. To better understand how and why certain brands tend to excel in this Driver over others.

Here are some of the top scorers:

Chilly’s, the well-known water bottle brand is in first place when it comes to Integrity, but what have they done to claim their crown?

One thing that Chilly’s has made evident is its mission to accelerate the adoption and everyday use of reusable products. They aim to do this by creating beautifully crafted products for everyday use that not only look appealing but also perform incredibly well. They are constantly innovating to bring out new products that reduce single-use plastic - helping to protect the environment and creating a more sustainable world.

We spoke with Chilly’s to hear their thoughts on their ranking. Here’s what they had to say, “The Chilly’s experience extends far beyond the delivery of our products, so it’s a real honor to be named the UK’s most trusted brand in ProQuo’s Brand Integrity Index report. We’ll continue to build meaningful relationships with our customers while we deliver our mission to accelerate the everyday use of reusable products worldwide."

In number 2 is Maltesers, MARS’ favorite chocolate-covered balls. MARS, the master brand, has always taken steps to ensure their brands are sustainable and act in the best interest of society, “Our plan is built on what is RIGHT, not what is easy”, says Barry Parkin, their Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer.

MARS’ goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain and eliminate unsustainable water use by 50%. They have plans in place to reduce land use and are currently developing packaging that is 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Based on our conversations with customers we have found that Maltesers is considered a trusted brand, with customers using words like “ethical, sustainable, trustworthy, and honest” when describing their feelings towards the brand.

Taking home Bronze is Whole Earth, the UK’s healthy food provider that focuses on producing tasty food while striving to create a more sustainable world. They have three core goals: helping people live healthier lives, reducing their impact on the environment, and protecting the earth through sustainable and organic practices. They are currently asking people to donate towards their latest initiative to plant 20,000 trees to restore and protect the Sumatran rainforest, amongst other initiatives.

People want to feel as though they can trust the brands that play an important role in their lives. As the demand for trust rises amongst consumers, brands that are able to prove their integrity stand to gain so much - from increased sales to customer loyalty.

If you're looking to build a purposeful and trusted brand today, check out our latest blog.