P&O Ferries’ brand health is positive again – but still far from where it once was

The 2022 redundancy scandal sunk public perceptions of P&O Ferries – but 17 months later, data from YouGov BrandIndex UK shows that the beleaguered operator is once again enjoying positive brand health.

Index scores (a metric that conveys overall brand health using the average of Impression, Value, Quality, Reputation, Satisfaction, and Recommend scores) were at 13.2 on the day the mass sackings were announced, and over the course of the scandal, plummeted to a low of -34.9 (19 April 2022).

But our most recent data (31 July 2023) indicates that these scores have improved to 1.8: a net positive score that suggests the brand has recovered substantially – if not fully – in the eyes of the public.

Digging into these metrics tells a similar story: Impression scores for P&O Ferries, which measure overall positive and negative sentiment towards a brand, fell from 18.8 to a nadir of -56.6 (14 April 2022). But as of 31 July 2023, these scores have since improved to 0.1: a neutral score that nonetheless represents a major improvement on this time last year.

Customer Satisfaction scores, which declined from 14.0 to a low of -2.4 (14 April 2022) have since risen to 8.8 (31 July 2023), while Quality scores – which went from 14.8 to a rock-bottom of -32.1 (19 April 2022) – have climbed to 2.7 (31 July 2023).

P&O Ferries’ Consideration scores – which ask Britons which operator they’d choose from the next time they’re in the market – sank from 12.1 to a low of 1.7 (19 April 2022), and have jumped to a most recent score of 10.0: a near enough full recovery.

Even Reputation scores, which measure whether people would be proud or embarrassed to work for a particular brand, have been on an upward trajectory. Starting at 15.3 on 17 March 2022, these bottomed out at -51.6, and at 1.0, have climbed back into positive territory as of 31 July 2023. Given the scandal was a mass redundancy, it’s perhaps not all too surprising that this metric’s recovery has been slower than others.

Nevertheless, the data shows that the story’s impact does appear to be fading – even if P&O Ferries aren’t where they were in March 2022.