BAND-AID: High quality, high trust makes the brand a category definer

Few brands achieve the distinction of coming to define the category they compete in, and BAND-AID is one of those rare examples. For many Americans, it is the default choice for cuts, scrapes, and everything in between.

So prominent is its place in the American market that it claims the second spot in the YouGov Best Brand Rankings 2026 for the U.S, behind only Amazon. BAND-AID also features among the Top Improvers, with a 2.5-point rise in its Index score over the previous year.

Founded in 1920 and operating in a narrow category has given BAND-AID room to cement its place as the category definer. But what exactly boosts BAND-AIDs brand performance in a crowded marketplace?

Quality is where BAND-AID sets itself apart

Among the top 10 brands in the YouGov Best Brand Rankings in the U.S., BAND-AID ranks first on Quality, with a score of 60.2 — ahead of every other brand in the group, including the likes of Amazon, Dawn, Dove, and Samsung.

So, what do consumers think about BAND-AID, in their own words? To understand what’s driving these standout Quality scores, we turn to YouGov BrandIndex Voices, which uses AI to analyse large-scale qualitative feedback. Drawing on interviews with more than 300 U.S. adults who hold a positive impression of BAND-AID, this data helps unpack the perceptions behind the headline metrics.

Linking back to the Quality metric, YouGov BrandIndex Voices data says: When people talk about what makes BAND-AID different, they keep coming back to one thing: It actually stays on. Whether you’re washing dishes, taking a shower, or swimming, the bandage doesn't fall off until you want it to. This isn't just a feature—it's the core reason people stay loyal. The tagline "BAND-AID sticks on you" isn't marketing fluff; it's what people experience.​

Satisfaction and Recommend scores reflect deep loyalty

BAND-AID also performs strongly on downstream consumer sentiment. The brand posts a Satisfaction score of 58.5, placing it near the top of the top 10 group, just behind Amazon.

Its Recommend score of 54.4 further reinforces BAND-AID’s role as a trusted staple — a product people not only rely on themselves but feel comfortable endorsing to others.

YouGov BrandIndex Voices insights point to the emotional foundation beneath those scores: Families pass down BAND-AID loyalty like a family recipe. People grew up with it, now buy it for their own kids, and never question the choice. The brand benefits from decades of consistent performance that's created an almost automatic purchase behavior. One participant captured this perfectly: "All my life I've found BAND-AID to be useful and reliable."​

Value is where the premium position creates tension

Yet even category leaders have room to improve. Despite its standout performance on Quality, BAND-AID’s Value score sits at 41.6, placing it in the bottom half of the top 10 brands. To be clear, this is still a very respectable performance but highlights an area of improvement for the household brand. BAND-AID may be seen as the best in its category, but consumers aren’t always sure it’s worth the extra cost.

YouGov BrandIndex Voices data captures this negotiation with more nuance: People know BAND-AID costs more than store brands. They're willing to pay it – mostly. But there's constant internal negotiation happening at the shelf. Some justify the premium because generics "don't adhere" or “fall off too easily." Others, especially those on tight budgets, wrestle with whether the difference really matters for a simple scratch.

The takeaway: BAND-AID wins with Americans – but price raises the stakes

BAND-AID’s position in YouGov's Best Brand Rankings in the U.S. reflects a brand that continues to outperform on the metrics that matter most: Quality, Satisfaction, and Recommend. It leads the top 10 on Quality, and its Recommend score speaks to brand loyalty.

But YouGov BrandIndex Voices suggests that the brand’s biggest vulnerability is the one shared by many premium and well-established names: Value perception.

For BAND-AID, the brand equity is already there. The opportunity now is ensuring that the premium feels justified.

BrandIndex methodology: BAND-AID's Index score is an average of Impression, Value, Quality, Satisfaction, and Recommend scores. Index score is reported as net scores from –100 to +100, based on daily surveys of U.S. adults. Based on scores between January 1st, 2025, and December 31st, 2025. All scores are rounded to one decimal place. If brands have the same rounded score, rank is determined by differences beyond the first decimal place. For a brand to qualify as a top 10 brand, it must have scores available for at least 6 months (183 days).

YouGov BrandIndex Voices methodology: Qualitative analysis for BAND-AID comes from YouGov BrandIndex Voices. AI-powered interview conversations and analysis uncover the ‘why’ behind consumer opinion and explore the themes that consumers want to talk about. Responses were collected from a minimum of 300 adults in the U.S. who have a positive impression about the brand between January 2-9, 2026. This analysis was completed with AI, AI can make mistakes.