FAQ

The BrandSpark Most Trusted® Awards (BMTA), established in 2014, is an annual awards program that recognizes the brands consumers trust the most across hundreds of consumer-packaged goods, service, and retail categories. The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards are 100% consumer-voted and nationally representative, revealing where real public trust lies. Dozens of brands across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom use the award to stand out in the marketplace and help consumers make more confident purchase decisions.

BrandSpark International, established in 2001, is a market research firm that has conducted the research and surveys for the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards since 2013. The firm combines actionable consumer insights with marketing expertise to ensure results reflect market research best practices. Their work helps brands and companies understand the shopper mindset, map the retail and e-commerce path to purchase, and reveal what drives trust and purchase decisions.

BrandSpark conducts the following process annually:

Step 1: Survey

• Researchers identify hundreds of categories where consumer trust matters

• Tens of thousands of Canadian adults are surveyed, all of whom have made recent purchases in these categories

• Winners are determined solely by open-ended, unaided write-in responses

Step 2: Scoring

• Consumers answer: “What brand do you trust the most in [X] category?”

• The brand with the highest share of unaided mentions wins (minimum 10 percent share required)

• A margin of at least 3.0 percent over the runner-up is required for a clear win; otherwise, a tie is declared

Step 3: Results

• Winners are announced every November for the following calendar year

• Winning brands can license the rights to promote their recognition and access category-specific insights

• Winners are celebrated at an annual event held each fall in Toronto

The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards are entirely determined by consumers. However, BrandSpark accepts suggestions for new categories each year. To recommend a category, please  contact us.

No. There is no application or submission process. The winning brands are solely determined based on unaided consumer responses. The best way to give your brand an opportunity to win is to recommend a category, please contact us.

Winners are announced each November for the following calendar year. For example, the 2026 winners are announced in November 2025. Follow our LinkedIn page and subscribe to our email list to receive updates.

While brands cannot pay to participate, you are encouraged to book an exploratory call with our team to learn more about the program and engagement opportunities. 

Brands access the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards seal and research-backed claims through obtaining authorization from Best New Product Awards Inc. This gives brands access to logo variations in English, French, and bilingual, as well as extra variations depending on their category wins and history (e.g., multi-year winner, voted by parents, voted by pet-owners). We offer several packages to suit different goals. Explore licensing packagesor contact us directly for more information.

Yes. Although the award is earned entirely through consumer vote, purchasing promotional rights is required. Tiered options are available to meet your brand's specific needs. Explore licensing packages or contact us directly for more information.

Brands cannot promote a win in another country where we already conduct a trust study. For example, a winning brand in the U.S. would not be allowed to promote their win in the U.K., because we conduct a U.K. study. Brands can enquire with the BrandSpark team about obtaining promotional rights in a country outside of where they won.

Regional promotion is offered on a case-by-case basis. Some categories in our survey are studied and announced regionally, while others only nationally. In response to higher demand for regional promotion in Quebec, the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards now announces winners nationally and Quebec-specific, in many categories. Explore the winners.

The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards can provide custom regional seal variations based on your brands win.

Congratulations, you are still one of the most trusted brands in the category and can promote your win using an alternative BrandSpark Most Trusted seal and claims. Contact us to learn more.

Brands leverage their wins across various channels including:

• Product packaging

• Digital and TV advertising

• In-store signage

• Social media

• Press releases

• Annual reports

• Brand activations

• Retailer communications

Explore leverage examples from Canada’s Most Trusted brands.

Yes. Our dedicated support team provides best-practice guidance, dozens of pre-approved claims, standard and custom logo variations, and hands-on assistance to help maximize your award’s impact.

Yes. All trust claims are backed by survey data and meet advertising substantiation standards in each region. Brands can request documentation.

Yes. Case studies by licensees have shown strong return on investment, including:

• 11% sales lift when adding the BMTA seal to e-commerce product images

• Highest ad recall among multiple ad variations when the seal was included

According to BrandSpark® Shopper Studies (2016–2024) and Independent Client Studies (2019), brands that communicate trust:

·       Can command up to a 30% price premium

·       See up to 11% increase in sales

·       Have a 70% higher trial rate for new products among consumers

Testimonials

• RE/MAX Canada, Vice President of Brand:
  "Real estate is highly competitive. We use the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards in the USA and Canada to help recruit and retain the most qualified agents. The award validates that our agents are the most trusted by real home shoppers."

• Revlon Canada, Senior Marketing Manager:
  "...We spotlighted our award win during National Lipstick Month, using it as the red thread across influencer activations, PR storytelling, in-store promotions, and sampling. With a lipstick legacy since 1939, Revlon continues to innovate, inspired by the trust of Canadian consumers.”

• Lassonde Inc. (Oasis), President:

‘’Pour Lassonde et notre marque Oasis, d’être reconnue comme la marque de confiance des Canadiens au niveau des jus de fruits a une grande importance. D’avoir cette reconnaissance permet de s’assurer un meilleur engagement des consommateurs et qu’ils fassent le choix de Oasis lorsqu’ils sont à l’épicerie ou pour leur achat en ligne. Dans nos piliers de marque pour Oasis, la valeur du produit et le 100% jus sont essentiels, nous pouvons donc poursuivre à bâtir sur ces piliers fort de savoir que la marque a la confiance des Canadiens’’.

Yes. TrustSpark.ai™️ is our proprietary insights platform powered by 12 years of trust data. Using AI, we generate detailed reports and insights that include:

• Trust shares by demographics (gender, age, country)

• Competitive brand and attribute comparisons

• Trust trends over time

• Evaluation of marketing claims

• Tailored recommendations based on trust positioning

Contact us for access to TrustSpark.ai™️ Insights.

The BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards offer unique advantages:

• Winners can use the recognition across all SKUs/products within the awarded category

• Trademark-protected logos

• Exclusive "#1 Most Trusted" claim in each category

• Research and methodology validated by legal departments of major global brands

• Backed by a leading independent research firm (BrandSpark)

• Over 12 years of historical consumer trust data

• Meets advertising substantiation standards

Since 2014, dozens of leading brands across CPG and service sectors have used the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards to support their marketing strategies.

View examples of how brands use the purple seal.

Newsweek publishes BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards rankings through a co-branded partnership, reaching over 47 million monthly users. Their editorial integrity adds an extra layer of credibility to the Awards.