Just two pubcos ranked among ‘most fun’ leisure brands

By Nicholas Robinson

- Last updated on GMT

Lacking mirth: pubcos fail in ‘fun champions’ category
Lacking mirth: pubcos fail in ‘fun champions’ category

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Branded pubs failed to make the cut in a list of the UK’s number one “most fun” leisure brands, with the likes of Wagamama and TGI Fridays taking the top spots as the best restaurants.

However, within the report compiled by OC&C Fundex, Mitchells & Butlers-owned Miller & Carter and café bar group Loungers each ranked second.

Consulting firm OC&C compiled three lists, including one of the top seven ‘Fun Champions’, where no pub brands featured, as well as Best Overall Hospitality & Leisure Brands and Most Fun Hospitality & Leisure Brands.

Miller & Carter ranked second as the second best restaurant in the Best Overall brand category, while Loungers was runner-up as the most fun restaurant.

When and if Brexit occurs

The basis of the compilation of the list was down to a predicted increase in staycations when and if Brexit occurs.

Some 40,000 consumers were asked questions about more than 600 brands and were quizzed on what makes a hospitality and leisure brand fun.

Best Overall Hospitality & Leisure Brands
Best Overall Hospitality & Leisure Brands

“Among the UK pub and restaurant segment for example, brands in the top fun quartile enjoy repeat monthly visits from nearly 30% of their guests, the same figure for the bottom quartile of brands is only 17%,” said the report.

OC&C associate partner David Foster said: “The findings of this study have wide-reaching implications for hospitality and leisure brands, as the benefits of being a more fun leisure brand for the first time are proven to be real and significant.

“More fun brands typically benefit from a higher number of positive personal recommendations, better reviews and stronger brand loyalty.”

Less convinced by promotions

Foster continued: “These factors are becoming even more important in a world where guests are increasingly looking online for inspiration when deciding where to go, are visiting a greater variety of brands and are less convinced by old-fashioned value-based promotions.”

There had also been a generational behavioural shift, he added, saying Millennials and Generation Z are increasingly demanding of brands, while also being less brand-loyal.

Most Fun Hospitality & Leisure Brands
Most Fun Hospitality & Leisure Brands

However, this is widely known within the on-trade, with many experts in the past citing the promiscuity of the two age categories.

“Understanding how to offer more fun experiences should be a high priority for brands wanting to appeal more strongly to these generations and gain competitive advantage,” he added.

Methodology:
The OC&C Fundex findings come from a survey of 40,000 global consumers to discover what they really think of 650 of the world’s biggest hospitality and leisure brands and how they use them.  The study covered eight countries: China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Turkey, UK and the US.

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