Brands
Fastest Growing Brands Report 2021
Report summary
For more recent data and analysis, see the Fastest Growing Brands Report for 2022.
Morning Consult’s Fastest Growing Brands® of 2021 is the definitive measure of brand growth for both emerging and established brands, showcasing a wide range of companies and products that have accelerated their consumer appeal and awareness in 2021.
Key Takeaways
- 2021 was the year of cryptocurrency, fintechs and digital payments: Five of the 21 Fastest Growing Brands—Coinbase, Afterpay, Cash App, Chime and Bitcoin—are digital trailblazers in the financial services world.
- Vaccine brands get a boost: Moderna and Pfizer grew 7.3 percentage points and 3.1 points, respectively, although consumers are about equally likely to consider either brand.
- One streaming service reached every generation: Just one brand saw big leaps in purchasing consideration among consumers in every single generation: Paramount+. HBO Max and Peacock reached every generation but Gen Z.
- Gen Z is hungry for legacy fast-food and fast-casual restaurants and indulgent snack brands: Wendy’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Snickers and Ruffles saw growth among the youngest—and pickiest—generation. The four food brands don’t appear on any other generations’ Fastest Growing Brands list.
- TikTok is finding new audiences with older Americans: Millennials, Gen Xers and boomers are coming around to the short-form video platform, with the most growth among millennials at 8.1 points.
- Boomers are living their best life: Smirnoff Vodka, Indian Motorcycles, Crown Royal and Vizzy Hard Seltzer all saw notable growth in purchasing intent among boomers—and so did Tylenol, to help recover from using all of the above.
Methodology
Morning Consult’s Fastest Growing Brands rankings are determined by measuring growth in the share of consumers who say they would consider purchasing from a brand over the course of the year. MorningConsult Brand Intelligence tracks consumer perceptions on thousands of brands on a daily basis, forming the foundation of this report. Growth was determined by taking the share of consumers who said they were considering purchasing from the brand from Oct. 1-26, 2021, and subtracting the share who said the same from Jan. 1-31, 2021.
About the author
Joanna Piacenza leads Industry Analysis at Morning Consult. Prior to joining Morning Consult, she was an editor at the Public Religion Research Institute, conducting research at the intersection of religion, culture and public policy. Joanna graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications and holds a master’s degree in religious studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. For speaking opportunities and booking requests, please email [email protected].
