The Top 100 Most Loved Brands 2021

Who is winning the hearts of UK charity supporters?

savanta.com Contents

Introduction 03 The power of love 04 How does brand love manifest among charities? 05 The importance of love in a post-COVID world 07

Which charities are the top performers? 08 Top 3 category medallists 08 — Animal welfare 09 — Healthcare 10 — Children & families 10 — Social justice 11 — International aid 11 — Environmental protection 12 — Disability 12

Applying the lessons 14 Three ways charities can inspire love from supporters 15

The league table in full 16 No. 1 — 100 17

How Savanta can help you 20 Supporting charities to adapt for the future 21 How the BrandVue data engine works 22

2 Introduction

04 The power of love 05 How does brand love manifest among charities? 07 The importance of love in a post-COVID world savanta.com Introduction

The power of love

Welcome to the Top 100 Most Loved supporters that is highly personal, Charity Brands – a recognition and valued and can last for decades. celebration of the most emotively Within this report we reveal the connected brands within the third sector. most loved charity brands, and the We know that people’s most deeply leaders within nine categories: animal held relationships with charities welfare, healthcare, children & family, are emotional by default. Whether social justice, international aid, based on a connection to a specific environmental protection, disability, cause or driven by a desire to help armed forces and mental health. others, relationships with charities These rankings are based on 60,000 are full of personal meaning. interviews collected over the past year, However, the relationship between through Savanta’s market intelligence supporters and charities is like a bridge. platform BrandVue Charities: the It requires thoughtful design, sturdy largest and most comprehensive construction and regular maintenance. brand, audience and supporter The potential result is an emotional tracking engine in the market. connection between a charity and its

savanta.com 4 Introduction

How does brand love manifest among charities?

Love can serve as a vehicle to increase These channels include financial brand ambassadors and (both individual and to support organisations in both financial and in-kind support for regular), interpersonal word-of-mouth personal interactions as well and endorsement on social media, as online grows by +5% and +4% a specific charity and improve its key purchase of branded merchandising respectively amongst those who brand metrics. and , and engagement love the top three charities. with charity shops. There is a strong positive Consumers who love the top the public. Based on BrandVue data, Monetary forms of support are relationship between love and three charities in each category we see that an average of eight out crucial elements that help ensure support (r=0.7) as visible in the are five times as likely to have of ten respondents who love the top longevity of a charity. Our data shows chart on the next page, with the supported them in the past three most loved charities trust them that the average growth of regular average level of support for the 12 months (5.1x) compared (81%). This share is three times financial donations amongst people most loved brand from each sector to people with lower affinity. higher compared to people with who love the top three charities is considerably above average. Furthermore, people who love any lower affinity (27%). up by +4% compared to those who Inspiring love among the general of the top three charities have 3.3 Love is also the force which deepens feel less passionate about them. public is in the interest of each times higher understanding of the support for a specific charity and turns Purchasing items from charity charity that operates in a saturated charities and their cause or mission their relationship into a long-lasting shops amongst the same group of sector and competes with other (73%) compared to those who are one. This logic can be demonstrated in top three charity lovers are up by organisations for supporters. more lukewarm towards these patterns of engagement with various +3% on average. Similarly, donating With an abundance of organisations charities (22%). channels of a charity. People who items to charity shops grows by +4% and causes clamouring for their amongst those who love the top However, understanding these love the top three charities are more attention, people need a compass three brands. These findings confirm metrics is not enough; trust is a likely to have engaged with all tested to navigate this increasingly the conversion of love into loyalty. necessary ingredient for establishing channels of engagement in the past complex sector. Only charities that a healthy relationship with a charity 12 months. Equally important is the power succeed in creating an emotional – and we see that loved charities Engagement with more modes of of word of mouth: the propensity bond can cut through the noise. are significantly more trusted by support translates into loyalty. to take on the role of informal This anchor point is love.

savanta.com 5 Introduction

The more a charity is loved, the more supporters it has

40%

30%

20% Overall Love Score (%) Score Love Overall

10%

0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Support (%)

savanta.com 6 Introduction

The importance of love in a post-COVID world

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a Alongside declines in income, Savanta’s Flexibility: Savanta’s qualitative research indicates that charity supporters challenging time for the charity sector. BrandVue shows that support declined appreciate mechanisms that suit a range of circumstances, from Many have seen their incomes dramatically very soon after the start of the pandemic ad-hoc one-off donations to regular ones. Full flexibility to donate at a impacted by reduced donations from their and it remains significantly below pre- 1 frequency that suits individuals is preferred. supporters, many of whom have suffered pandemic levels, with only slight signs of from smaller pots of disposable income. improvement during the Spring. Given the This has been further compounded by restrictions in place since March 2020, it charities’ limited ability to use established is unsurprising to see the most significant Keep it local: The research also indicates that there is more interest in mechanisms such as charity impacts have been to the support of supporting local causes, reflecting an increased sense of community spirit. shops, events, and on-street fundraisers. charity shops and fundraisers. All charity Additionally, our BrandVue data has shown an increase in volunteering since types have seen an impact to support, with The result is a sector that has faced 2 the start of the pandemic and, if anything, an unmet desire to offer voluntary animal welfare, disability, and armed forces significant challenges to their financial support. Allowing people to feel like they are personally contributing to their being the most affected. resilience and at a time when many communities is likely to build affinity. charity services have seen a dramatic Given the proven link between love increase in demand. and support, love becomes ever more Savanta’s polling has shown that the not- important to improving support levels and Make digital easy: People have gotten used to adapting many aspects of for-profit sector has been more likely than revert back to normal. their lives to operating online over the past year. It is how people expect to the private sector to have been negatively So, how can charities adapt their supporter, be engaged with, even increasingly for older people. This means that there impacted by COVID-19, with greater fundraising, and campaign strategies and 3 is wider potential reach for charities. With an increase in cashless giving proportions of charities reporting adverse provide new reasons to love among current and online fundraising, making it easy to support through digital means will impacts such as a decline in income than and potential supporters? allow charities to find love online. private sector organisations.

savanta.com 7 Which charities are the top performers?

09 Top 3 category medallists 09 Animal welfare 10 Healthcare 10 Children & families 11 Social justice 11 International aid 12 Environmental protection 12 Disability 13 Armed forces 13 Mental health

savanta.com Which charities are the top performers?

Top 3 category medallists

CATEGORY MEDALLISTS

Animal welfare:

1 Dogs Trust

Context is everything. While there are valuable insights to be seen in how the charity sector operates as a whole, brand associations, engagement 2 RSPCA and support vary by sub-sector. We have compiled a top three of charity brand love across the following 3 Battersea Dogs & sub-sectors: animal welfare, healthcare, children & families, social justice, Cats Home international aid, environmental protection, disability, armed forces, and mental health.

savanta.com 9 Which charities are the top performers?

CATEGORY MEDALLISTS CATEGORY MEDALLISTS

Healthcare: Children & families:

1 Macmillan 1 BBC Children in Need Cancer Support

Great Ormond Street 2 Cancer Research UK 2 Hospital Children’s Charity

3 Marie Curie 3 Make-a-Wish

savanta.com 10 Which charities are the top performers?

CATEGORY MEDALLISTS CATEGORY MEDALLISTS

Social justice: International aid:

1 Women's Aid 1 Islamic Relief Worldwide

2 The Trussell Trust 2 Muslim Aid

3 Hospice UK 3 Comic Relief

savanta.com 11 Which charities are the top performers?

CATEGORY MEDALLISTS CATEGORY MEDALLISTS

Environmental protection: Disability:

The Guide Dogs for the 1 The Wildlife Trusts 1 Blind Association

2 Wildfowl and 2 Motor Neurone Wetlands Trust Disease Association

3 Royal Society for the 3 The National Protection of Birds Autistic Society

savanta.com 12 Which charities are the top performers?

CATEGORY MEDALLISTS CATEGORY MEDALLISTS

Armed Forces: Mental Health:

1 The Royal British Legion 1 Mind

2 Help for Heroes 2 Rethink Mental Illness

3 ABF The Soldiers' Charity 3 YoungMinds

savanta.com 13 Applying the lessons

18 Three ways charities can inspire love from supporters

savanta.com Applying the lessons

Build awareness Three ways 2 through communities From our BrandVue data we know campaigns at a local level through charities can that there is correlation between fund-raisers, coffee mornings awareness, love and support, or volunteering opportunities. highlighting the importance of Social media provides an opportunity inspire love continually building and maintaining to engage in a similarly ‘local’ way. awareness of a charity and its aims. Charities can reach a wide audience Building awareness through existing in a highly personalised way, and from supporters communities, whether physical or improve the return on investment by online, improves depth of connection asking supporters to act as advocates of that engagement. Local presence in the promotion of a campaign. allows charities to engage with Stand-out examples of successful supporters at a grassroots level, and supporter led campaigns include to build a more intimate relationship. Movember, the Ice Bucket Challenge, Charities can embed themselves into and the No Makeup Challenge. the infrastructure of a community BrandVue data also shows through the presence of shops that social media is the most and centres, and by encouraging popular method for supporters supporters to engage with to stay in touch with charities. Build a personal 1 connection Build love Personal connections are important People feel connected to charities that through boldness for building love, and often charitable focus on issues which are close to 3 support is driven as much by personal themselves or loved ones. Charities have a shared challenge Our data shows that charities resonance as by perceived need. This connection can also be connected to stand out in a noisy environment can both love amongst Our BrandVue data shows that having to an issue which an individual may not of brands, media, and messages supporters and differentiate a personal interest in the charity’s necessarily have experienced first-hand competing for attention. their voice in the sector by being work is the most common reason for but believes is important. BrandVue data shows that most expert, inspiring and confident. supporting charities. While personal connections are charities demonstrate certain qualities Charities should consider how they When it comes to charitable giving, commonly considered at the micro which people expect them to have: can convey these qualities within their people want to know that their level, these can also be fostered at the being caring, trusted, and honest. mission, campaigns and interactions donations are making an impact; macro level whereby charities create a Whilst these are important qualities with supporters. In so doing, they a personal connection to a charity connection through a shared community, to uphold, and indeed for driving brand can both align with traditional charity or cause also enables a better such as through British heritage or being love, these attributes are considered a values, and set themselves apart by understanding of charitable work. part of a faith community. minimum requirement by supporters. showing leadership within their sector.

savanta.com 15 The league table in full

20 No. 1 – 100

savanta.com The league table in full

No. 1 – 100 Ranking Charity 11 British Heart

12 St George’s Hospital Charity Ranking Charity 13 Mind

1 Macmillan Cancer Support 14 WWF

15 Help for Heroes 2 Cancer Research UK 16 Royal National Lifeboat Institution

3 Dogs Trust 17 The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association

18 Cats Protection 4 BBC Children in Need 19 Children with Cancer UK 5 RSPCA 20 Islamic Relief Worldwide

Rethink Mental Illness 6 Battersea Dogs & Cats Home 21 22 Muslim Aid 7 Great Ormond Street Hospital 23 World Animal Protection

8 The Royal British Legion 24 Childline

25 CLIC Sargent 9 Make-A-Wish 26 Maggies

10 Marie Curie 27 PDSA

28 Comic Relief Our methodology We capture people’s love for a charity with the most positive option of our BrandVue affinity 29 YoungMinds question ‘How would you describe your opinion of the following charities?’. The top box ‘Love’ represents the true brand affinity. The table of top 100 charities is created by ranking 30 Samaritans the organisations by their brand love.

savanta.com 17 The league table in full

Ranking Charity Ranking Charity

31 World Cancer Research Fund 56 UNICEF 32 Breast Cancer Now 57 Starlight Childrens Foundation 33 British Red Cross 58 SOS Children's Villages 34 Cash for Kids 59 Hospice UK 35 Women’s Aid 60 Salvation Army 36 The Trussell Trust 61 Prostate Cancer UK 37 Bliss 62 Sport Relief 38 NSPCC 63 Action for Children 39 Save The Children 64 Combat Stress 40 The Blue Cross 65 Barnardo’s 41 The Donkey Sanctuary 66 The Smile Train 42 Sands 67 The Wildlife Trusts 43 St John Ambulance 68 The Children’s Society 44 Teenage Cancer Trust 69 Shelter 45 The Lullaby Trust 70 Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign 46 Project Hope 71 Blind Veterans UK 47 ABF The Soldiers’ Charity 72 Age UK 48 Brooke 73 49 C.A.L.M. 74 WaterAid 50 Breast Cancer Care 75 Motor Neurone Disease Association 51 Plan International 76 Dementia UK 52 Blood Cancer UK 77 Carers UK 53 Tearfund 78 The National Autistic Society 54 SSAFA 79 Alzheimer’s Research UK 55 Alzheimer’s Society 80 Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

savanta.com 18 The league table in full

Ranking Charity

81 Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

82 Stonewall

83 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

84 Tommy’s

85 Medecins sans Frontieres

86 Samaritan’s Purse International Limited

87 Independent Age

88 King’s College Hospital Charity

89 World Vision

90 Voluntary Service Overseas

91 Versus Arthritis

92 British Lung Foundation

93 Disasters Emergency Committee

94 Oxfam

95 The Stroke Association

96 The Royal National Institute for Deaf

97 Royal Society for Blind Children

98 Diabetes UK

99 Crisis

100 Movember

savanta.com 19 How Savanta can help you

24 Supporting charities to adapt for the future 25 How the BrandVue data engine works

savanta.com How Savanta can help you

Supporting charities to adapt

for the future User Strategy Experience & Planning Helping charities to navigate a Optimising engagement Market landscape analysis across offline & to reposition and reprioritise changing sector landscape and digital touhpoints strategy, comms and revenue opportunities supporter behaviours

External Optimising the influence & membership model communication Increasing support from 8 1 Stakeholder engagement new and existing members and public policy

2

7

3

6

4 5 Corporate Campaign Partnership Strategy Effectiveness Brand partnership evaluation, partnership type/pricing model assessment Responding to the changed environment through redefined communications and policy positioning

Brand Understanding Identifying changes to donor behaviours, evaluation the public and and how they vary by charity types & optimisation donator base

Understanding changes to supporters’ drivers to donate to specific charities and causes

Developing wider supporter engagement behaviours and strategies to encourage supporter involvement

Defining longer-term strategy while achieving short-term goals

savanta.com 21 How Savanta can help you

We ask 60,000 people annually It’s important that we can be confident in our results, even How the when looking at niche groups. That’s why we speak to 15 times more people than some Charity Index products offered by other companies. We believe all charities should have access BrandVue data to world-class research no matter how small their audience may be, and BrandVue gives the flexibility to do just this. engine works 120+ charity brands surveyed No charity operates in isolation, so it’s important for us to understand the competitive environment, not just the big brands. We currently track 120 brands and we’re always looking for the next charity to add to our list – suggestions welcome.

Leveraging the full power Tracking perceptions daily of BrandVue for charities Charities experience fluctuations throughout the year, with seasonal peaks like Christmas, campaigns and external news events. This is why instead of taking readings at one fixed point in time, we run our research continuously, and use averages to get a true reflection of where a charity is at, as well as measuring day by day change.

Sharing the who and why We ask 60,000 120+ charity Tracking Many products can tell you which charities the public people annually brands surveyed perceptions daily support, but few can give a read as to why. At Savanta we place a lot of value on the supporter journey – vital to ensuing a customer centric marketing approach and allowing marketers to focus on how to retain and grow supporters.

Seeing real-world value Creating a strong brand can pay dividends, however it can Sharing the Seeing the sometimes be hard for charities to justify the expense. Using our who and why real-world value robust data and publicly available records, we have provided a real- world value to charity brands, empowering brand managers and marketers with the information they need to make brand decisions.

savanta.com 4222 BrandVue Charities

020 7632 3434 This report has been prepared for general interest only and no representation or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness. Of the information contained in it, to the extent permitted by law, Savanta Limited and its employees and agents do not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of anyone relying on the information contained in this report or [email protected] for any decision based on it. We expressly reserve all rights in and to the name “Savanta” and “BrandVue”, our logo, service marks, trading names and/or trademarks. © 2020 Savanta Limited. All rights reserved.