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The brand that has more retail locations than Subway, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined
It has more than half a million retail locations all over the world, but awareness levels about Western Union is very low. So, what are its plans?
According to YouGov BrandIndex, only three-quarters (74.1%) of UK consumers are aware of the Western Union brand. PayPal has an awareness level of 96.6 per cent. Comparing the two shows how clear challenge for Western Union is.
It also struggles with consumer perceptions. Its Index score – a combination of metrics including quality, value and reputation – is -3.7, putting it 39th out of a list of 47 finance brands.
Western Union operates in every country in the world bar two – North Korea and Iran. In order to make the reach count, Western Union is banking on a two-pronged plan - balancing global and regional marketing as well as artificial intelligence and the human touch. With new entrants and disruptors, that may be an easy task.