New Harris Poll Highlights Beverage Brands of the Year

NEW YORK -- When it comes to drinks, a new Harris Poll study finds that certain beverage brands stand out on consumers' shopping lists.

According to the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study Green Mountain Coffee beat out 13 other well-known coffee names, such as Folger's, Dunkin' Donuts, Eight O'clock, Seattle's Best, and Starbucks, to take the title of Coffee Brand of the Year. Although Green Mountain is less well known among consumers than brands like Folger's, Maxwell House and Starbucks, it earns the highest quality and purchase consideration ratings within the category, according to a Harris Poll release.

"One of the great strengths of the Harris Poll EquiTrend study is that it is a measure of brand value rather than just brand recognition," explained Robert Fronk, executive vice president at Harris Interactive. "Green Mountain Coffee is by no means the best known coffee brand, but it is clear that those who do know it love it. Green Mountain's high standing may also be a reflection of the efficacy in 'doing well by doing good.' It has attained a reputation as an exceptional corporate citizen. One implication from this study is that good corporate citizens that also produce high-quality products are very likely to generate exceptional levels of brand equity."

Moving to carbonated beverages, the Coca-Cola megabrand sweeps the regular and diet soft drink categories. Coca-Cola and Diet Coke are the Soft Drink and Diet Soft Drink Brands of the Year, followed by Pepsi-Cola, Sprite, 7-Up, and Dr Pepper, which all rank above category average in the regular soft drink group. Sprite Zero, Diet Dr Pepper, and Coke Zero are the next highest ranked diet soft drinks.

In the water category, the study named Goya Coco Water the Coconut Water Brand of the Year, while the highest ranked enhanced water was Glaceau vitaminwater. Gatorade is the top brand among sports drinks. However, when yearning for traditional water to quench their thirst, consumers ask for Poland Spring, the 2012 Bottled Water Brand of the Year, according to the release.

In other beverage categories, SoBe Adrenaline Rush took title to the Energy Drink Brand of the Year; Lipton Tea products, of both hot and cold varieties, are the 2012 Hot Tea and Bottled Ice Tea Brands of the Year; and Tropicana was named the Fruit Juice Brand of the Year, according to the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study, while Juicy Juice took the top spot for Fruit Flavored Drink Brand of the Year.