Dell is in a bind. Its brand equity is slipping among younger adults, and the fallout is showing up on the balance sheet.
Among this audience, Dell just doesn’t stand out. Compared to leaders like Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung, BERA’s data shows that Dell lags far behind on perceptions of what makes a brand feel distinct. All of the elements that make up Dell’s brand equity score among young adults dropped between 2021 and 2024, with Uniqueness showing the biggest decline.
Emotional Relevance Drives Growth
This erosion in Uniqueness is more than a marketing problem. It has a direct impact on Dell’s revenue, as younger adults are a major force in the consumer tech market. If Dell can’t hold their attention or spark emotional relevance, it risks falling even further behind.
And in an environment where tariff-driven cost increases are forcing brands to rethink pricing, that’s a risk Dell can’t ignore. Brands with strong emotional connections—especially those seen as unique and meaningful—can hold pricing power. Brands that can’t either cut margins or lose volume.
Dell, for example, has already started rolling back discounts on U.S. computers, effectively passing rising costs to customers. Without stronger brand equity, that move gets harder to sustain.
The Missing Link: Personality
If Dell wants to reverse its course, it will require quickly creating a compelling emotional hook.
This is where brand personality matters. BERA’s analysis shows Dell is missing key emotional associations like excitement and sincerity. And while those traits might not sound like revenue drivers, they actually fuel deeper connection and stronger pricing power.
One path forward is for the brand to gain a celebrity endorsement that brings those traits to life. People like Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, or Adam Sandler score high on both excitement and sincerity, which are two qualities Dell could benefit from immediately. That kind of partnership could help bridge the emotional gap and make the brand feel less like a spec sheet, more like a statement.
The Bottom Line
Brand equity isn’t abstract. It’s measurable, directional, and highly predictive. For Dell, changes in brand perception among younger adults don’t just mirror revenue shifts; they lead them.
The data says it all: if Dell wants to stabilize revenue and hold its ground in a more expensive world, it has to rebuild its brand with younger consumers. That starts by being different and building strong emotional connections.
