Automobile Brands Americans Love Most - Loving The Brand Top 20 List

NameQuest, Inc. released the list of Americas top 20 Most-Loved Automobile Brands today. John P. Hoeppner, president of NameQuest, noted, General Motors now has 40% of brands in the top ten with #1 Chevrolet rated highest among contenders for value and trust. Consumers rated German import Mercedes-Benz highest in perceived quality. Korean import Kia rated the lowest in perceived quality and finished dead last overall among all auto brands.

Carefree, AZ March 4, 2004 -- NameQuest released the list of Americas top 20 Most-Loved Automobile Brands today.

John P. Hoeppner, president of NameQuest, noted, General Motors has 40% of brands in the top ten with #1 Chevrolet rated highest among contenders for value and trust. Robert Lutz is obviously making an impact at GM, especially with the formerly stodgy Cadillac brand ranked #4."

Consumers rated German import Mercedes-Benz highest in perceived quality and Korean import Kia the lowest in perceived quality. Kia (#27) finished dead last overall among all auto brands.

NameQuest Brand Preference Ranking: Top 20 list of Americas Most Loved Auto Brands.

1. Chevrolet
2. Mercedes-Benz
3. Jaguar
4. Cadillac
5. Jeep
6. Volkswagen
7. Oldsmobile
8. Lexus
9. Toyota
10. GMC
11. Chrysler
12. Land Rover
13. Volvo
14. Pontiac
15. Honda
16. Dodge
17. Ford
18. Audi
19. Buick
20. Saturn

Background:
The primary objective of the NameQuest Brand Preference research was to measure consumers preference for selected automobile brands based on factors that contribute to building consumer-brand relationships. In addition, the research examined the correlation between brand preference and advertising spending. NameQuests proprietary Preference Index suggests that factors such as trust, quality and value are more potent than advertising spending in contributing to consumers brand preferences. NameQuest compared high and low spenders with consumers high and low brand preference scores and found there is no correlation between brand preference and advertising expenditures.

Methodology:
The list of automobile brands was tested via the exclusive NameQuest Online survey research tool. The brands researched were selected from a list ranking the nations (US) leading national advertisers. The sample size was 2,600.

About NameQuest:
NameQuest (www.namequest.com) is a global brand research and development organization. The company was founded in 1984 and has developed and researched brands such as the Campells Simply Home, Ziploc Easy Zipper, Saturn VUE, Jergens Naturally Smooth, Skintimate, and Sea Worlds Wild Arctic for companies such as Meredith Publishing, General Motors, Campbells, Kelloggs, Anheuser-Busch, Keebler, SC Johnson, Jergens, Dow, Nabisco, Mars, Cargill, Fuji, Kawasaki, Sea World, and Emerson among others.

A new book available later this year entitled, Loving the Brand: How Brand-Person Chemistry Creates Profits for Companies and Their Customers by John P. Hoeppner, President, NameQuest, Inc. & Andrea Markowitz, Ph.D., Organizational Consultant. Excerpted from the book: If you want to attract and keep customers, love them. Make them the center of your universe by cultivating valued and trusting relationships.

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