NEW YORK: McDonald's, Nokia and Amazon are among the brands perceived as offering "simplicity" and improving the lives of customers, a multimarket survey has found.
Siegel & Gale polled 6,152 adults in China, Dubai, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia the UK and US, asking them to name the products that met these criteria.
"While what makes for simplicity isn't always straightforward, it is improving the lives of people everywhere. And, they're willing to pay more for it," the branding consultancy's study argued.
By industry, restaurants and entertainment topped the charts, scoring over 900 index points, the only sector to surpass this benchmark, with retail falling slightly short.
Technology and electronics was another segment to scale 800 points, media being the other, as telecoms and travel came in just below the same level.
At the other end of the spectrum, banks and utilities hovered around the 550-point mark.
But insurance and credit cards had even lower ratings, on less than half the total recorded by restaurants and entertainment.
In identifying how much extra they would consider splashing out on "simpler experiences", contributors pegged this amount at approximately 6% for technology, fashion, groceries and cars.
Television, health and beauty, mobile phones and restaurants logged 5.5%, media attained 5%, and mortgages and credit cards achieved 4.5%.
Fast-food giant McDonald's and mobile telecoms provider Nokia shared first place in the global rankings, as both companies received 854 points.
The former was lauded for retaining an uncomplicated appeal despite adding healthy and localised meals to its menu, and the latter, facing pressure as Apple and Google Android gain ground, benefitted from ubiquity and familiarity.
E-commerce pioneer Amazon claimed 842 points, beating quick-service chains KFC and Burger King, on 826 points each.
Retailer Wal-Mart took 816 points, restaurant group Pizza Hut posted 815 points, and Starbucks hit 814 points.
High-street chemist Boots, assessed in the UK and Dubai, averaged 814 points, and sandwich specialist Subway completed the top ten, reaching 802 points.
The organisations featured in the "simplicity portfolio" have almost doubled the performance of the Dow, S&P 500, FTSE and Dax during the last two years, the study continued.
Looking to the US, it revealed TV and movie streaming service Netflix was the number one brand, delivering 857 points, ahead of Subway's 844 points and McDonald's, supplying 840 points.
Dunkin' Donuts, Trader Joe's, Kroger and Old Navy also proved popular, and Siegel & Gale predicted US firms might yield a further $27bn (€19.9bn; £16.8bn) in revenues by simplifying their products, and commanding higher prices as a result.
Insurance brands, in particular, could accrue $6bn in supplementary sales, with retail banks set to attract $2.6bn.
McDonald's was pre-eminent in China on 926 points, followed by digital news source Infzm.com on 903 points, KFC's 889 points, apparel brand Baleno's 889 points, and Trust-Mart hypermarkets, securing 883 points.
Fast-food operator Yonghe King, fast-fashion network Uniqlo, sporting goods manufacturer Anta, search engine Baidu and apparel chain Giorgadno made up the top ten, all between 880 points and 867 points.
Between 12% and 31% of the Chinese panel would be willing to pay a premium for "simpler experiences and interactions", nearly twice the figures from the other markets analysed, except India.
Here, totals fell in the 18% to 34% range, and domestic snacks group Haldiram's, and automaker Maturi Suzuki, have assumed the best positions to exploit this trend, posting over 900 points apiece.
Retailers dominated in the UK, led by Asda, registering 921, while Apple headed the Middle Eastern rankings on 849 points, and Amazon adopted the lead role in Germany, on 881 points.
Siegel & Gale polled 6,152 adults in China, Dubai, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia the UK and US, asking them to name the products that met these criteria.
"While what makes for simplicity isn't always straightforward, it is improving the lives of people everywhere. And, they're willing to pay more for it," the branding consultancy's study argued.
By industry, restaurants and entertainment topped the charts, scoring over 900 index points, the only sector to surpass this benchmark, with retail falling slightly short.
Technology and electronics was another segment to scale 800 points, media being the other, as telecoms and travel came in just below the same level.
At the other end of the spectrum, banks and utilities hovered around the 550-point mark.
But insurance and credit cards had even lower ratings, on less than half the total recorded by restaurants and entertainment.
In identifying how much extra they would consider splashing out on "simpler experiences", contributors pegged this amount at approximately 6% for technology, fashion, groceries and cars.
Television, health and beauty, mobile phones and restaurants logged 5.5%, media attained 5%, and mortgages and credit cards achieved 4.5%.
Fast-food giant McDonald's and mobile telecoms provider Nokia shared first place in the global rankings, as both companies received 854 points.
The former was lauded for retaining an uncomplicated appeal despite adding healthy and localised meals to its menu, and the latter, facing pressure as Apple and Google Android gain ground, benefitted from ubiquity and familiarity.
E-commerce pioneer Amazon claimed 842 points, beating quick-service chains KFC and Burger King, on 826 points each.
Retailer Wal-Mart took 816 points, restaurant group Pizza Hut posted 815 points, and Starbucks hit 814 points.
High-street chemist Boots, assessed in the UK and Dubai, averaged 814 points, and sandwich specialist Subway completed the top ten, reaching 802 points.
The organisations featured in the "simplicity portfolio" have almost doubled the performance of the Dow, S&P 500, FTSE and Dax during the last two years, the study continued.
Looking to the US, it revealed TV and movie streaming service Netflix was the number one brand, delivering 857 points, ahead of Subway's 844 points and McDonald's, supplying 840 points.
Dunkin' Donuts, Trader Joe's, Kroger and Old Navy also proved popular, and Siegel & Gale predicted US firms might yield a further $27bn (€19.9bn; £16.8bn) in revenues by simplifying their products, and commanding higher prices as a result.
Insurance brands, in particular, could accrue $6bn in supplementary sales, with retail banks set to attract $2.6bn.
McDonald's was pre-eminent in China on 926 points, followed by digital news source Infzm.com on 903 points, KFC's 889 points, apparel brand Baleno's 889 points, and Trust-Mart hypermarkets, securing 883 points.
Fast-food operator Yonghe King, fast-fashion network Uniqlo, sporting goods manufacturer Anta, search engine Baidu and apparel chain Giorgadno made up the top ten, all between 880 points and 867 points.
Between 12% and 31% of the Chinese panel would be willing to pay a premium for "simpler experiences and interactions", nearly twice the figures from the other markets analysed, except India.
Here, totals fell in the 18% to 34% range, and domestic snacks group Haldiram's, and automaker Maturi Suzuki, have assumed the best positions to exploit this trend, posting over 900 points apiece.
Retailers dominated in the UK, led by Asda, registering 921, while Apple headed the Middle Eastern rankings on 849 points, and Amazon adopted the lead role in Germany, on 881 points.
Data sourced from Siegel & Gale; additional content by Warc staff
