According to data from YouGov BrandIndex, Ben & Jerry’s, Dove, and Pimm’s made the biggest gains in Ad Awareness in the UK for the month of May 2023.
YouGov's monthly analysis indicates that Ben & Jerry’s secured the top spot with a rise of 7.8 points in its Ad Awareness score this month. It jumped from 8.6% on April 27 to 16.4% on May 25.
Ad Awareness asks consumers if they have seen an advertisement for a brand in the past two weeks, and the difference between brands’ low and high scores for the month determines our Advertisers of the Month.
The Unilever-owned frozen dessert brand recently made headlines for ending all paid-for advertising on Twitter in response to a dramatic rise in hate speech on the platform in the absence of content moderation. Earlier in May, the Safe Route for Refugees campaign – another social issue championed by the brand – was also discussed by Alastair Campbell in his podcast with ex-Tory minister Rory Stewart, The Rest Is Politics.
On a lighter note, Ben & Jerry’s announced the dates for the next outing of its popular Sundaes in The City festival. To be held at the Bristol Amphitheatre, the ice cream and music festival is set to be headlined by the disco group Sister Sledge ft. Kathy Sledge.
The brand’s latest campaign takes a stand against the oversexualisation – and related beauty standards – of women in gaming. Created in collaboration with Women in Games, Unreal Engine and Lola MullenLowe, the ad spot sees a female character strip herself of her sexualised clothing and enter the gaming world as her real self. The campaign aims to make virtual beauty real and was revealed a week after the Dove film The Cost of Beauty made its way to the UK. A part of the Dove’s Self Esteem Project, the film, developed in association with Ogilvy, tells the story of a young woman who develops an eating disorder as a result of toxic beauty content on social media. Set to ‘You Are So Beautiful’ by singer-songwriter Self Esteem, the spot addresses the negative impact of social media on mental health, from overcoming depression to body dysmorphia.
Rounding up the top three Advertisers of the Month for March 2023 is Pimm’s. The brand, saw its Ad Awareness score move up 4.9 points, from 1.6% on April 26 to 6.5% on May 24. Synonymous with summer in the UK, the gin-based liqueur brand recently released a regally inspired edition of its iconic No.1 bottle in celebration of the Coronation. The quintessentially British drink’s commemorative bottle features a crown-shaped illustration with Buckingham Palace at its heart, with purple and gold bunting and a banner proclaiming the Pimm’s Coronation Edition for 2023. As part of the Coronation celebrations, the Pimm’s Coronation Edition was served at the Royal Warrant Holders Association Annual Luncheon at Guildhall in London.
Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following consumer brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” Data from surveys of adults aged 18 years and above residing in the UK from April 26 to May 25, 2023. Ad Awareness scores are based on a four-week moving average. The change in scores for each brand is calculated by taking the difference between the highest and lowest scoring days within the period. Learn more about BrandIndex.
