Media and entertainment brands are dominating when it comes to building emotional bonds with consumers, according to a new study from brand consultancy MBLM. Disney topped the list with YouTube, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Android and Sony all cracking the top 10.

The annual Brand Intimacy report measures how effectively brands connect with consumers and shows that since COVID, consumers are bonding more deeply with brands. The preponderance of media and entertainment brands indicates a continued need for comfort and escape during the pandemic, according to MBLM Managing Partner Mario Natarelli. 

The report documented users labeling YouTube as “the brand that I go to sleep with,” Natarelli said. Entertainment has also benefited from the expansion of mobile technology and gaming. There’s also an experiential aspect to media companies. Disney, for instance, benefits from consumer connections it builds at its theme parks, such as Disneyland. Of late, however, Disney has been pulled into divisive political matters—such as Florida legislation that opponents have labeled as the “Don’t Say Gay” law—that could affect its relationships with consumers, as the New York Times recently pointed out.

Apple and Android routinely score high on the ranking because brands associated with smartphones often also get the credit for what is on them, such as games or apps. This also applies to gaming stations; Japanese gaming platform Sega ranked ninth.

The study—which analyzed brands in the last half of 2021—covers 19 industries and ranks 600 brands. MBLM had previously surveyed consumers for the report. But it changed its methodology this year, using AI components such as natural language processing and text analytics to analyze how brands are being talked about on Twitter. This allows for the study to cover global audiences.

The use of AI also allows for a more “unvarnished” view of how consumers feel about brands by tracking real-time language used on social media. For example, words associated with Tesla, second on the list, include “badass,” said Natarelli. 

Amazon, which topped the list in 2020, did not crack the top 10, a drop that Natarelli attributed to the new methodology and its broadened geographic scope.

The study notes that brand intimacy also carries financial benefits for companies. When surveyed by MBLM in years past, consumers have responded that they are more likely to spend more on brands with which they have a connection. 

Brand intimacy is born from a number of factors, including fulfillment (performance vs. expectations), indulgence (when people use a brand to treat themselves); identity (when a brand embodies who you aspire to be); enhancement (if a brand makes your life better), ritual (incorporating a brand into your life); and nostalgia (creating warm, safe feelings).

Crypto brands, which the report studied for the first time, outperformed traditional financial brands. “It’s taken very little time for that degree of trust and familiarity” to build up, Natarelli said. 

Cardano and Bitcoin were among the top crypto brands ranked in the report. 

The automotive industry has typically performed well in the study due to factors such as rituals people have with cars. Tesla topped all other auto brands this year. 

Since the findings were collected, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has gained attention for his proposed purchase of Twitter. Asked how that could affect Tesla’s emotional ranking, Natarelli said: The “study is good at predicting future success of brands” and takes “a longer lens view” that doesn’t tend to be swayed by factors such as a controversial company leader.