Google voted most and least liked media brand, annual industry survey reveals
Google has topped the list of both most and least liked media brand in the annual I-MIS industry reputation survey.
The analysis of 50 media and tech brands in the report – compiled by BSB Media, The Vision Network and the International Advertising Association (IAA) – found that many media brands were liked and disliked in equal measure by their industry colleagues.
Following Google, Facebook was the next most popular brand. However, the social media giant was equally deemed more unpopular than popular by respondents. Google and Facebook were followed on the scale by LinkedIn, YouTube, BBC World News and Odyssey Mobile Interaction.
“Being a big brand and working with large numbers of clients and agencies seems to generate strong feelings in both directions,” commented Will Nicholson, founding director at The Vision Network.
“Unfortunately for some of these brands, the experience isn’t always a happy one, which probably affects their partners’ willingness to work with them in future. What’s probably true, though, is that the likes of Google and Facebook offer connections with consumers that other media brands aren’t currently able to replicate, so relationships continue, whether agencies and advertisers are 100 per cent happy or not.”
The survey showed that attitudes towards Google were strongest among advertisers, while agencies had the strongest views about Facebook. Google, The Economic and YouTube were among only five media organisations that have done more business with advertisers directly than with media owners, and the study found that 71 per cent of advertisers now report working directly with some of their media partners rather than agencies.
The report showed that in one-to-one working relationships between media owners and clients, 74 per cent of advertisers counted face-to-face meeting as the most important way of communicating ahead of making a deal, with email at 54 per cent and telephone calls 53 per cent.
Meanwhile, the study found that confusion over which services some companies provide in the digital landscape resulted in a lack of votes either way among respondents. Companies like Viacom International Media Network, Fortune, Rovio, Unanimi/Orange and Yume had little feedback.
“The sheer number of media brands included in the survey shows just how much the industry is expanding, but this can lead to confusion, especially among advertisers, who often aren’t entirely clear about what some of the digital companies actually do – are they media companies in their own right, or service providers that link clients and media,” said Angus Grieve, executive director – IAA UK Chapter. “As more advertisers now work directly with media owners, those who fail to build better brands awareness and differentiation will potentially be missing out.”
Cross-over media brands that have a pre-built reputation in print or TV were deemed more professional and transparent than fresher digital services, and BBC World News was ranked by nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents as having the highest professionalism among its sales team and customer service, with Google only slightly behind at 48 per cent. The FT and Economist received 41 per cent backing for professionalism, followed by CNN International (38 per cent) and the Wall Street Journal (37 per cent).
Among respondents, innovation, creativity and an ability to prove ROI were ranked among the most important qualities in media owners, followed by good customer insights, good research resources and transparency/accountability.