Harris Poll EquiTrend Recognized as a Proven Indicator of Stock Performance during 2008 Financial Downturn

NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Harris Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ: HPOL), a leading global market research firm, today announced that its Harris Poll EquiTrend® brand equity model was the subject of a recent academic study which tested the performance of brand value measurements during the 2008 financial crisis. The study concludes that the consumer-based brand equity measurement model used by Harris Poll EquiTrend was a more predictable indicator of corporate brand financial resilience than the financially-based brand value measurement model used by Interbrand.

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The study findings appear in the September 2012 issue of the International Journal of Research in Marketing in the paper titled "The Performance of Global Brands in the 2008 Financial Crisis: A Test of Two Brand Value Measures," authored by Johny K. Johansson, Claudiu V. Dimofte and Sanal K. Mazvancheryl.

The findings of this academic study show that Interbrand's financially-based brand value measurement was not a reliable predictor of a brand's resilience during the 2008 financial downturn. Rather, brand equity measurements that accurately measure true consumer allegiance and loyalty, such as the methodology used by Harris Poll EquiTrend, more accurately predict which global brands' stocks will out-perform the market. This supports the long-held perception of brand equity as a key indicator of stock performance and financial stability.

"Our research investigated how some of the strongest brands in the U.S. market fared in terms of financial performance during the Fall 2008 stock market downturn," said Johny K. Johansson, McCrane/Shaker Professor of International Business and Marketing, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University. "Yet, what we found is that when using the traditional financially-based measure of brand value (Interbrand), the top brands actually performed worse than the market. However, when a consumer-based measure of brand equity (EquiTrend) is used to replicate the analysis, top brands displayed resiliency and consistently outperformed the market. This analysis demonstrates the value of consumer-based brand equity (EquiTrend) when analyzing or investing in the market."

"This paper presents an objective third party validation of the Harris Poll EquiTrend brand equity model," said Aron Galonsky, Senior Vice President within the Custom Solutions Group at Harris Interactive. "The thesis clearly demonstrates that to understand the future of brands in an economic downturn, it is imperative to account for brand equity. Put differently, brand equity is tied directly to business performance."

For a complete copy of the International Journal of Research in Marketing research paper, contact Corporate Communications at 212-539-9600 or [email protected].

About Harris Poll EquiTrend®
Harris Poll EquiTrend® is a leading Brand Equity tracking study conducted by Harris Interactive that measures and compares brand health for more than 1,500 brands. The latest study was conducted online from January 31 through February 20, 2012 and analyzes the responses of over 38,500 consumers on key measures of brand health - including how well the public knows a brand, how positively they think of the brand and their consideration to do business with or donate to a brand. Each brand is rated 1,000 times among respondents who are familiar with the brand. Harris Interactive has conducted its Harris Poll EquiTrend study regularly since 1989, and can offer yearly trended data from 2005. The Equity Score, a key take-away from Harris Poll EquiTrend, has been validated against financial performance by Georgetown University.

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll® and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers proprietary solutions in the areas of market and customer insight, corporate brand and reputation strategy, and marketing, advertising, public relations and communications research. Harris possesses expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Additionally, Harris has a portfolio of multi-client offerings that complement our custom solutions while maximizing our client's research investment. Serving clients in more than 196 countries and territories through our North American and European offices, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

SOURCE Harris Interactive