• by Ryan Detert , Op-Ed Contributor, May 7, 2020

With all of the negativity and fear that has dominated the recent news cycle, everyone could use some positive news. Hence, taking a look at which brands have received the most social mentions, pre- and post-pandemic, one consistent trend shines through.

Brands that have creatively engaged in social good activities in this time of crisis are the ones that had markedly more social media chatter than others.

With this in mind, there are a few brands that deserve recognition for the good they are doing -- good work that can be measured and highlighted using a brand positivity index.

It has become increasingly evident that the way that brands deal with the crisis will shape how consumers view them.

Brands that use their position and resources to be helpful and relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic will leave a positive and indelible impression on consumers. Following these moments, it's easier for consumers to recall and consider purchasing from these brands, especially after they have left a positive impression on them.

In order to measure a brand positivity index, you must first take into consideration social conversation around the top Fortune 1000 Brands across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, forums, and blogs, then measure the number of mentions a brand received for the month before the pandemic versus the month after the global pandemic announcement on March 13th. From there, an index can be organized to include the top 25 brands that have experienced the greatest increase, pre-to-post.

Of all the brands that were researched using this particular method, Johnson & Johnson saw the greatest lift in conversation, largely because they have been at the centre of the vaccine conversation and also because of its $50 million commitment to support front-line health workers battling COVID-19.

In keeping with this trend, companies such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Apple -- which all created multimillion-dollar relief funds -- were positively acknowledged by consumers, who mentioned that they appreciated these brands' efforts to put people before profits.

Consumers also acknowledged companies such as Tesla, Moet-Hennesy, and Alibaba for leveraging their resources to deliver items such as ventilators, sanitisers, and face masks during this time.

While most brands that saw a lift in conversation and sentiment did so because of efforts they made directly to combat COVID-19, others like Nickelodeon were recognized and praised for perhaps one of the more difficult and essential tasks of the moment -- keeping quarantined children entertained so their parents could go about their workdays and maintain their sanity.

Ultimately, innovation, helpfulness, and empathy were the universal themes that consumers acknowledged, across all brands.