ChatGPT was 2023’s fastest-growing brand

Generative AI dominated 2023 in a story cycle that included cool possibilities, worry over job loss and singularity, and serious leadership drama at OpenAI, the field’s biggest player.

Thus, it’s absolutely zero surprise that Morning Consult found ChatGPT to be top dog in its report, Fastest Growing Brands 2023.

I’m not surprised, but how’s that determined?

Morning Consult calculates the difference between the share of consumers who were considering purchasing from a brand in October 2023 and the same share in January 2023.

So it’s not the brand consumers are considering the most, but the brand that sees the biggest jump.

• ChatGPT saw 5.9% consideration in January versus 16.4% in October across all US adults — a 10.5-point rise.
• Facebook saw a 6.4-point rise from 34.7% to 41.4%

Morning Consult credits ChatGPT’s win to its late 2022 release and ensuing media coverage, leading to peak interest in June.

Consideration doesn’t equal trust

Shein saw rising interest among budget-conscious millennials, but less so with eco-conscious Gen Z.

Trust in Zelle increased 12 points in 2023 as it educated consumers on how to avoid scams, and could increase more now that it’s agreed to refund fraud victims.

As exciting as AI can be, only 22% of consumers said they trusted ChatGPT. Comparatively, 59% of consumers said they trust Microsoft, which owns a 49% share of ChatGPT parent OpenAI.

Enough about AI. What else?

Starry — PepsiCo’s Sierra Mist rebrand — ranked second thanks to an NBA partnership and TikTok buzz. Major League Soccer caught a bump, especially among millennials, courtesy of Lionel Messi’s US debut.

And among Gen Z, Kraft bested all brands. The Harris Poll found Kraft’s favorability among young consumers jumped due to sustainability initiatives in packaging — plus boxed mac and cheese’s long reign as a cheap, nostalgic comfort food.