Reader's Digest stands by the independent public vote, but won't say which companies are paying for the privilege of getting their name up in lights as Trusted Brands.
Comment: It's not enough to produce a quality product; you need the bells and whistles and awards to build your brand.
So now, actress Anna Paquin is endorsing Glenlivet single malt whisky, comedian Rose Matafeo is sipping our sav alongside Graham Norton, and of course the much-loved self-described domestic goddess Nigella Lawson is championing our chocolate. And with Lawson's help, Whittaker’s has again topped the annual Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand survey, published for the 23rd time this week.
"Your trust is our most prized ingredient," proclaims the chocolate firm in big letters atop its internet homepage this week. "So thanks New Zealand, for voting us Reader’s Digest’s New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand for the 11th year in a row!"
But all the media and marketing materials announcing the results include a little asterisk pointing to the fine print: “Of brands surveyed”. Which begs the question, how does one make it onto the list of 497 brands surveyed? Can we trust the Trusted Brands Awards?
The awards are run by Hawkhurst Media Services Ltd, which says it commissions Catalyst Research to first run a scoping survey, asking open-ended questions about consumers’ most trusted brands. It then does a follow-up asking people to rank them, and there is no fee for inclusion. “It’s not a Pay to Play initiative, you have to be selected by the NZ public to be included into the survey,” says Hawkhurst production and sales director Yulia McKenzie.
There is, however, a fee to leverage the Trusted Brands logo. “If they wish to obtain the timeless rights to use the Trustmark or promote their win through Reader’s Digest channels, they have to pay for this.”
Asked which of the 71 category winners are paying a premium to promote their brand as "Most Trusted", McKenzie declines to says. "Sorry, I can’t – it’s private information."
But she supplies a marketing document targeted at New Zealand brands, boasting that research shows consumers are much more likely to purchase products or services displaying the Trusted Brand Emblem.
And that document shows the Trusted Brand emblem being used in marketing for Fisher Funds, Summerset Retirement Villages, Harcourts, GJ Gardners, Cavalier Bremworth, Versatile garages, Tux and Hill's dog food, Avalanche Coffee, Villa Maria Wine, Blackmores supplements, Sleepyhead beds, BestStart Childcare, Kitchen Studio, Weber BBQs, Bosch, Stihl Shop, Bridgestone and Firestone, Contact Energy, AMI and AA insurance, both Arnott's Farmbake and CookieTime biscuits – and not to mention Whittaker's.
The marketing document pitch offers winners (and potentially runners-up) the change to use the Trusted Brands emblem on their advertising and marketing, full page advertisements and advertorial in an e-book emailed to 147,000 Reader's Digest readers and in the magazine sent to 50,000 households, a banner advertisement and a prize giveaway on the Trusted Brands website and in the magazine. And for good measure, Reader's Digest will deliver 200 copies of its magazine to the company's office – which is about as many as are gathering dust in the bottom bookshelf of every old family bach or tramping hut I've ever visited.
So how much does this all cost? That's disclosed on the last of the 28 pages in the marketing document. The total rate card value is quoted at $89,550, but Hawksworth and Reader's Digest say they are offering a 77 percent discount (beat that Briscoes!) to sell the marketing package at the knockdown price of $20,950.
At Reader's Digest's publishing company, Direct Publishing in Australia, advertising and retail director Sheron White reiterates that who pays what is "sensitive information".
"Working in the media you will know that there is a rate card, and there is then the price people pay. Each client has different needs and therefore we tailor a package for each client consisting of print and digital advertising in Reader’s Digest and also the usage of the trademarked Trusted Brands logo in their own advertising and packaging.
"Regardless if a brand decides to participate, they are still considered a winner, or a highly commended winner. These winners are all announced through various media assets, not just Readers Digest, even if they do not purchase our media package."
Which leaves just one more question: does anyone care any more? Online this week, Whittaker's, Ryman Healthcare, AA Insurance and Southern Cross Insurance were among those who had paid for the privilege of spruiking their award on their homepage – but others seemed more coy.
One brand PR expert tells me Reader's Digest itself is a neglected brand, and though companies had spent thousands leveraging the award in the past, they may be less willing to do so now.
St John, which again won most trusted charity, is celebrating the award as a recognition of the hard work of its team during Covid. In a media statement, though, the ambulance service’s chief executive, Peter Bradley, can’t resist a sly dig: “We know it’s hard to beat a consistently winning brand of chocolate!”
Whittaker's marketing and brand managers didn't reply to messages yesterday.
