Chick-fil-A took a drubbing over the summer for its president’s remarks about traditional marriage. It sparked a boycott, while inspiring others to express their support for the fast feeder by buying its chicken sandwiches and waffle fries.

Curiously, the PR dustup boosted Chick-fil-A’s business, according to one measure. The reason, it seems, is because the fast food company knows how to connect with its customers. Doing so leads to success in the marketplace, reports a survey commissioned by rbb Public Relations.

According to the survey (conducted by polling firm IBOPE/Zogby International), 83 percent of consumers will pay more when they feel a personal connection to a brand. “Make consumers fall in love, and they’ll even pay more for your products,” said MediaPost about the results of the survey. “Think of the lines outside of Apple stores when a new product is released.”

The survey listed Chick-fil-A has a “breakout brand” for making customers its first priority rather than the competition. Here are other companies on the list of “breakout brands”:

• Apple
• Amazon
• Chick-Fil-A
• Wal-Mart
• Costco
• Starbucks
• Google
• Zappos
• Toyota
• Ford
• Trader Joe’s
• Southwest Airlines

You can read more about the survey at MediaPost.

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