21 Intriguing Branding Statistics for Canada in 2024
One look at branding statistics in the years leading up to 2022 shows us just how important brands are. Although Canadian brands aren’t as successful as some other countries’, there is a strong sense of brand loyalty among Canadian consumers.
From Tim Hortons to the Royal Bank of Canada, even younger consumers have learned to associate Canadian brands with value.
Allow us to introduce you to the 21 most exciting stats that tell the whole story about product branding—particularly in Canada.
The Top 10 Branding Statistics for 2024
- 81% of Canadians are willing to pay more for a trusted brand.
- Canadians spent well over $13 billion on advertisements in 2019.
- 73% of Canadian small business owners constantly monitor statistics about branding.
- Statistics reveal that 71% of Canadians value product consistency.
- Brand awareness of Canadian products is at 67%.
- Brand identity statistics show that retailers rank high among the top 10 Canadian brands.
- The average Canadian shopper is a member of up to five different loyalty programs.
- 93.1% of manufacturing businesses hired less than 100 people in 2020.
- Statistics about branding remark that job listings for the marketing sector have been increased.
- Over 20% of Canadian consumers are foreign-born.
General Branding Statistics for Canada
Personal branding and international brand recognition are the chief priorities of the Canadian advertising industry.
Keep reading to find out just how much Canadians care about brands.
Source: Statista
1. 73% of Canadian small business owners constantly monitor statistics about branding.
(Cision)
Nearly three-quarters of Canadian small business owners (SBO’s) actively monitor their brand’s perception. Around 52% have incorporated digital elements, such as a company website, into their branding strategy.
However, small business branding statistics also reveal that 60% of business owners still rely on employees to communicate the brand’s value to customers. Surprisingly, 45% of SBOs reported that this traditional (word of mouth) marketing technique was still effective.
2. Facebook branding statistics show that CanadaVisa had the largest audience (3,868,124 users) in 2021.
(SocialBakers)
According to Facebook page stats, the second most influential brand in Canada was Woodland, with 3,053,548 users. The third most popular brand, with 2,474,512 customers, was Work and Live in Canada—an information resource for immigrants.
3. Branding stats and surveys reveal that 81% of Canadians are willing to pay more for a trusted brand.
(Statista)
Another revealing fact from a 2019 survey is that 73% of Canadians are more likely to remember ads from trusted brands. This stat proves that well-organized marketing strategies pay off in the long run. In 2019, Google was the most influential brand in Canada.
4. Personal branding statistics for 2020 and 2021 tell us that 75% of Canadians’ earnings are defined within the first ten years of a person’s career.
(Canadian Underwriter)
Branding yourself early in your career is essential, as this is the period when you’ll earn the most money. Even office employees harbour the potential for personal branding, as every individual and company can bring something unique to the table.
5. Canadian statistics on professional branding show that ad spending was well over $13 billion in 2019.
(Statista)
This figure is impressive and ranks the Canadian advertising market among the top 10 worldwide. Moreover, industry professionals project the advertising market to grow in the coming years.
However, Canada pales in comparison to its neighbour to the south. The United States is by far the most prominent ad market on the planet, having spent a whopping US$281 billion in 2019.
6. Branding statistics for Canada estimate the total value of transactions through online payments at $63.75 million in 2020.
(ColorWhistle)
According to Canadian credit card statistics, online payment methods are becoming increasingly popular as fewer Canadians carry around cash. These types of payments are convenient for shoppers and have become an integral part of the branding strategy.
7. In 2020, social media branding stats showed that YouTube had the most significant increase of daily users (16%).
(SSRN)
A survey conducted in mid-April 2020 also showed that the number of daily Instagram users rose by 8% and that 7% more people were using LinkedIn. The results showed that the age group from 18 to 24 was the largest adopter of social media.
8. National statistics on branding reveal a worrying trend of Canadian brands struggling overseas.
(Cision)
Only 28% of the value of Canada’s top 40 brands comes from overseas sales. By comparison, this figure is 62% in the United Kingdom.
The only bright spot seems to be Lululemon. The yoga apparel company generated 86% of its value from overseas exposure in 2020.
Critical Facts about Branding in Canada
Next, we’ll be digging through some facts and stats about the average Canadian’s brand awareness. So we can learn more about Canada’s top brands and which advertising trends come with the promise of better brand recognition.
Source: Statista
9. Brand awareness statistics put the familiarity of Canadian products at 67%.
(PWC)
In addition, 16% of Canadians claim that they’re “very aware” of their nation’s brands. This percentage is impressive when we consider that only 47% of Japanese and 38% of Germans are aware of national brands and products.
10. National brand consistency statistics reveal that 71% of Canadians value product consistency.
(Cision)
More precisely, product consistency is among the top three loyalty considerations. The other two are product quality (appreciated by 74% of Canadian consumers) and value for money (60% of Canadians like a good deal).
11. Brand statistics for Canada show that retailers such as Tim Hortons rank high among the top 10 Canadian brands.
(Retail Insider)
Although RBC, TD Bank, and Scotiabank rank supreme as Canada’s top brands, retailers are high up on the list as well. Lululemon and Tim Hortons are the two most notable brands. For example, Tim Horton’s brand value was US$6.757 million in 2019.
12. Digital branding trends in Canada have increased job listings for the marketing sector.
(Web Trainings)
LinkedIn alone had over 4,000 job listings in the digital marketing sector. Additionally, 7,000 jobs were available in the social media sector and more than 2,000 in online marketing. One of the most influential job sites in Canada—Indeed, listed 5,282 jobs in February 2019.
13. Canadian branding facts indicated that 93.1% of manufacturing businesses hired less than 100 people in 2020.
(Government of Canada)
Although the Canadian manufacturing industry’s net revenue was $66.8 billion in 2018, most businesses aren’t that large. As of 2020, there were 90,359 manufacturing facilities, out of which 36,145 were in Quebec.
14. Branding trends for 2020 singled out programmatic advertising as a marketing hit in Canada.
(UCW)
Simply put, programmatic advertising uses artificial intelligence to target a specific audience.
In 2020, Canadian marketers were up to date with the global trend of programmatic marketing. Moreover, the total expenditure on programmatic advertising was approximately $2 billion.
15. Brand awareness statistics for 2020 indicated that the Royal Bank of Canada and TD Bank were the most valuable brands.
(Cision)
Despite the pandemic and the fact that the total value of the two brands shrank by 6% (to $162.67 billion), Canadians still hold financial institutions, including online payment systems such as PayPal, in high regard.
According to brand authenticity statistics, Lululemon, the famous yoga clothing brand, was the most remarkable success story in 2020, as its value increased by a staggering 60% to $12.1 billion. Moreover, Lululemon’s e-commerce readiness earned it the number four spot in BrandZ Top 40 ranking.
Noteworthy Branding Statistics for Canadian Consumers
When we look at the demographics of Canada from the perspective of consumerism, we notice specific trends, such as a preference for social media branding. We also see that the cultural diversity of Canadian shoppers has an impact on branding strategies.
16. Branding statistics for 2020 show that the average Canadian shopper is a member of up to five different loyalty programs.
(Cision)
Canadians simply adore loyalty programs, as 40% of shoppers say rewards and collectible points are essential to their brand choice. This percentage is impressive, especially compared to the meagre 14% of Canadians devoted to a brand because an influencer endorsed it.
17. Stats on social media branding estimate that there will be 32.07 million social network users in Canada by 2025.
(RapidBoost)
Social media advertising is slowly becoming the dominant segment of brand advertising. There are currently around 27.8 million Canadians with a social network account. Just four years ago, this figure was 24.12 million, indicating a slow yet steady growth.
18. Virtual events were among the most popular branding trends in 2020.
(Think With Google)
Due to the global pandemic and its many challenges, the total number of virtual events doubled in 2020. Although, this shift to the virtual world wasn’t necessarily bad because it enabled companies to reduce production costs and increase consumer accessibility.
19. According to LinkedIn’s personal branding statistics, 97% of recruiters are active on the site.
(HuffingtonPost)
Over 12 million Canadians actively use LinkedIn—a globally popular employment website.
A recent survey by Randstad Canada showed that over 50% of Canadians use LinkedIn to look for employment. A large but understandable portion of the population, considering 97% of recruiters are also there.
20. Over 20% of Canadian consumers are foreign-born.
(ApplyBoard)
Among the most interesting facts about branding is the number of foreign-born Canadians. In 2018, data shows that nearly 7 million Canadians were born in a different country.
This cultural diversity promotes brands that appeal to consumers of different backgrounds. Canada’s population is most diverse in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, and British Columbia.
21. Branding facts and statistics reveal that marketers use both physical and digital media when targeting Millennials.
(Business Matters)
Every marketer wishing to reach the 9.5 million Millennials living in Canada has to know a thing or two about Millennial spending statistics and Gen Y’s shopping habits.
This group of consumers values a personal approach and appreciates honesty. Furthermore, Millennials with children at home engaged with printed material 16% more.
Conclusion
All of the figures listed above indicate that people are personally connected to their favourite products. Branding sales stats show that even the pandemic couldn’t sever this emotional bond. Consumers in Canada are diverse, well-informed, and active on social media.
All in all, marketers need to give digital branding the attention it deserves. At the same time, Canadian brands should look to fortify their offline presence if they are seriously planning to conquer overseas markets.
FAQ
What is a good branding strategy?
To develop a quality branding method, the marketer should know their target audience and deliver a solid and unique value proposition to arouse passion in the consumers.
A savvy marketer has to think outside the box because no two marketing campaigns are the same. They also have to demonstrate consistency and place the brand’s objective first. Another important segment in the quest for favourable brand recognition statistics is a catchy slogan.
Once a marketer comes up with a memorable tagline or a logo, they should ensure that value always comes first. Finally, excellent exposure through traditional advertising and social media marketing is key to selling any product or service.
(Smart Insights)
How effective is branding?
When utilized correctly, branding can be highly effective. Branding a business implies a deep connection with the consumer. The relationship should be one of trust, and in that sense, it is sometimes more emotional than rational.
From a marketer’s perspective, this is a good thing. As cited by Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of all purchase decisions happen subconsciously. Therefore a brand is more desirable if it’s able to appeal to consumers’ emotions.
(Forbes)
What are the top benefits of branding statistics?
A consistent brand presentation can increase revenue by 33%. Tracking consistency requires marketers to constantly analyze stats to determine how well their brand name is faring against their competitors.
(Oberlo)
What are four branding strategies?
The top four brand growth strategies are line extension strategy (extending product lines), new brand strategy (creating fresh products), brand extension strategy (introducing a new product or entering a new market), and flanker brand strategy (placing a new brand or sub-brand in a different segment of the market).
(Mad Marketing)
Are there statistics on why branding works for Canadian companies?
Yes, there are many examples of Canadian companies that have made it big through branding. For instance, Canadian Tire launched a campaign, “Tested for life in Canada,” which offered more than 500 products available for customers to test. The annual sales of these products were up by 70%.
(ColorWhistle)
What is brand name recognition?
Brand name recognition is a term denoting the consumers’ ability to identify a specific brand. Through brand name recognition, companies can build a reputation for themselves in the market, clearly distinguishing themselves from the competition.
Marketers create logos and come up with slogans and jingles to earn their company or product brand recognition. Companies looking to improve their branding statistics must have an instantly recognizable brand name.
(Investopedia)
Sources:
- ApplyBoard
- Business Matters
- Canadian Underwriter
- Cision
- Cision
- Cision
- ColorWhistle
- Forbes
- Government of Canada
- HuffingtonPost
- Investopedia
- Mad Marketing
- Oberlo
- PWC
- RapidBoost
- Retail Insider
- Smart Insights
- SocialBakers
- SSRN
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Think With Google
- UCW
- Web Trainings
Stefan Pajovic
Stefan is a postdoctoral researcher in American and Irish literature, as well as a dedicated content writer. He is a polyglot wannabe who relishes the opportunity to travel. Stefan writes only about topics he can contribute to. Swimming, boxing, and shooting are his favourite hobbies.