MBLM, the Brand Intimacy Agency, reported that Nike was the top most intimate brand in the apparel industry in its annual ranking for 2015.

Indulgence, defined as creating a close relationship centered around moments of pampering and gratification that can be occasional or frequent, was the top archetype associated with the category. The overall industry ranked second-to-last in creating and building intimate brand relationships, according to the agency’s extensive Brand Intimacy 2015 Report. Travel & leisure was the only industry ranking lower.

Brand intimacy describes an essential relationship between a person and brand that transcends usage, purchase and loyalty. According to the report, intimate brands create enhanced business performance.

The remaining brands part of the top 10 are: Levi’s, Under Armour, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, H&M, Puma, Express, The North Face and Banana Republic.

The global apparel market is expected to have a double-digit increase between now and 2020, with the market value in the U.S. currently at $331 billion.

“Apparel had a weak performance, compared to most of the other industries that we analyzed,” stated Mario Natarelli, MBLM’s managing partner. “This is surprising given the emotional connection people typically have with fashion brands. It appears these brands have a powerful opportunity to build stronger bonds with customers.”

Additional findings of the report include:

  • J. Crew and the Gap ranked 15th and 16th
  • The North Face ranked #1 among women, whereas Levi’s was the top brand for men
  • Nike and Under Armour were the two most intimate apparel brands among 18-34 year-olds
  • Levi’s ranked #1 for consumers 55-65 years old

MBLM’s 2015 report contains one of the most comprehensive rankings of brands based on emotion, analyzing the responses of 6,000 consumers and 52,000 brand evaluations across nine industries in the U.S., Mexico and UAE. MBLM’s reports and interactive Brand Ranking Tool showcase the performance of almost 400 brands, revealing the characteristics and intensity of the consumer bonds.

To download the full Brand Intimacy 2015 Report or explore the Ranking Tool please visit: http://mblm.com/brandintimacy/.