The research, which measures the consumer’s perception of a “well-established brand” in Türkiye, revealed a remarkable threshold for brands. According to the study conducted by FutureBright Group for the Centennial Brands Association, Turkish consumers expect a brand to have an average history of 54 years in order to be considered well-established. However, the most striking result of the research was that it showed that deep-rootedness is not explained only by the date of establishment. For the consumer, it means a “well-established brand”; An old date written next to the logo means much more than a nostalgic packaging or a traditional-looking name.
The research, conducted between February 25 and March 12, 2026, with 600 people between the ages of 18 and 60 across Turkey, revealed for the first time in Türkiye the criteria by which a brand is considered well-established in the eyes of consumers. According to the study, consumers do not evaluate the history of a brand only by looking at how many years it has been on the market; It looks at whether that brand has been used across generations, whether it maintains the same quality, whether it has a place in social memory and whether it creates a sense of trust.
The findings of the research show that the long-established brand perception is not established through slogans, logos or historical appearance. The main determining factor for the consumer is that the brand has been tested for generations. The fact that a brand is passed down from generation to generation within the family, is recognized by different age groups, has a place in childhood memories and offers a similar quality experience with every purchase are among the main factors that strengthen the perception of deep-rootedness. Therefore, just having an old founding date is not enough to convince the consumer.
According to the research, the average time a consumer waits to consider a brand as “well-established” is 54 years. However, this period alone is not considered sufficient. The brand must preserve its values from the past, not lose its identity over time, establish a bond between generations, and not compromise its basic quality while adapting to the changing world. For the consumer, a well-established brand means a brand that gives a feeling of a certain standard, trust and continuity when its name is heard.
One of the strongest topics that came to the fore in the study was the perception of heritage. 3 in 4 consumers think a brand needs to prove its heritage. The most important proof of this heritage is seen as quality. Consumers consider encountering similar product or service quality every time they buy the same brand as one of the strongest values that the brand has carried from past to present. Therefore, being a well-established brand is not just about having a history; It means being able to verify that past with today’s experience.
Gürsel Arseven, President of the Centennial Brands Association, stated that the research is important because it is the first study in this field in Türkiye, and emphasized that well-established brands represent social memory and economic continuity in a world where speed consumes everything quickly. According to Arseven, chaotic processes and unsafe environments increase the consumer’s tendency to turn to well-established institutions. Pointing out that the economic life required for the formation of national heritage in Türkiye is thought to be 34 years on average, while in Italy this period is approximately 100 years, Arseven stated that brands carry not only a commercial but also a cultural and social heritage.
Akan Abdula, co-founder of FutureBright Group, stated that the real measure of rootedness in the eyes of the consumer is “experience”. According to Abdula, a brand’s use of the phrase “since…” does not, on its own, have a strong meaning for the consumer. Putting an old date at the beginning of the logo or placing the brand in a nostalgic frame is not considered sufficient. The consumer wants to see the brand’s relevance in his own life, its place in his family, the quality it has carried from past to present, and its reputation in society.
