This post was created in partnership with Nativo
The bracket is locked. The votes are in. The battle for consumer attention has officially tipped off.
March Brandness—powered by Nativo’s Brand Rank—throws 16 standout brands into head-to-head matchups, with consumer consideration as the scoreboard. Advancement is based on the results of a survey in which more than 1,000 U.S. consumers answered: Which brand are you most likely to buy?
Here’s the opening slate:
- AT&T vs. Capital One
- Coca-Cola vs. Buffalo Wild Wings
- Buick vs. Geico
- Great Clips vs. Pizza Hut
- TurboTax vs. LG
- Bonvoy vs. Nabisco
- Nissan vs. Reese’s
- Home Depot vs. Unilever
Round One is now closed, the tournament is underway, and expert analysis is already in full swing.
Greg Friend, vp of strategy & innovation at Nativo, has Coca-Cola going the distance: “I was torn between Reese’s and Coca-Cola, both because of their ubiquitous category and my personal preferences. The passion of Coca-Cola’s fan base will be more than enough to overcome the split factions of candy fandom, and Coke will walk away with the trophy. Invented in 1886, Coca-Cola is the UCLA of March Brandness, and I’d be shocked to see anyone knock them off.”
But who is Friend’s sleeper pick? TurboTax. “Not only is tax season coming up, so everyone is thinking about it, but doing taxes sucks. TurboTax has something like a 70% market share. While taxes are not as exciting of a product as some of the other brands, I bet they come out strong—like Colorado State in this year’s tournament. Proven success, riding momentum, and here to turn some heads.”
Racine Levy, senior director of brand and performance media, is all in on Reese’s. “Reese’s is a no-brainer. It’s not just a candy; it’s a cultural phenomenon. The classic cups, the seasonal drops, the endless snack innovations—Reese’s dominates the aisle and consumer cravings like it’s their birthright. In March Brandness terms, they’re the Duke or Kansas of the bracket: consistent, beloved, and built to win. I’d be shocked if anyone takes them down.”
But it’s Great Clips she sees as a possible bracket-buster. “Great Clips isn’t flashy, but they’ve got what matters: necessity. People always need haircuts, and with their mix of affordability, convenience, and brand familiarity, they’re the mid-major team that gets hot at the right time. Don’t be surprised if they make a Cinderella run.”
Justin Rosen, svp of data & analytics at Ampersand, bets the house on Buffalo Wild Wings. “This tournament is going to be dominated by Buffalo Wild Wings. When I see that B2dub logo I think two things: watching the game and eating wings. Win. Win. It’s hard to compete with that.”
