Nokia emerges as top brand in East Africa

NOKIA has emerged as the top brand in the East African region according to a survey commissioned by Superbrands East Africa and co-ordinated by London based Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA).
While unveiling the top ten brands in the region at a Nairobi hotel, the Chief Executive Officer of The Centre Brand Analysis and Chairman of the UK Superbrands Council Stephen Cheliotis said “we were delighted to be asked by Superbrands East Africa to work with them to investigate the leading brands in the region and to enhance their selection process to ensure that those brands identified as the leaders were the most deserving.”.
According to the survey Blue Band emerged second while household cleaner Omo came third followed by global leader in the beverage industry Coca-Cola.
Cheliotis said ’Nokia has performed strongly with both the marketing experts and the consumers within East Africa who believe that it fulfills the requirements inherent within a Superbrand, namely offering quality and reliable products that are truly distinctive.
“It has outperformed global power brands and local hero brands alike, which is truly a remarkable feat that the local Nokia team can be very proud of. This survey reaffirms its strong position in the market against newcomers”.
For local brands, such as Milo and Kimbo, which both make the top ten, the survey reaffirms that they are able to compete with their multi-national counterparts, which is excellent news for the economies of East Africa.
It fundamentally proves that businesses in this region are able to build and maintain brands that can compete with the best from around the world.
This detailed survey that involves interviewing experts and consumers, the latter by the Nairobi based TNS Research International team, provides the most comprehensive snapshot of brand success in the region and provides evidence as to which brands are well regarded in the markets of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
Over one thousand brands were considered in the research; only the top brands will be invited to join the local Superbrands programme, a sub-set of the prestigious global project that recognizes brand strength and is viewed as the elite club for the world’s strongest brands.
Cheliotis adds ‘this survey is not just incredibly interesting and thought provoking but ultimately is essential in understanding the potency of different brands.
The perception of these brands has a direct impact on their success in the market place and therefore being rated highly in this survey is not only pleasant for the respective brand owners but a symbol of their ability to grow their business through a name that consumers’, trust, want and demand.’
Cheliotis is an international brand experts hired by brands and agencies worldwide and is the leading commentator on brands for international media such as CNN and the BBC.
His appointment together with local partners TNS Research International is a massive investment for Superbrands East Africa and is a testament to their desire to produce the most comprehensive snapshot of brand success throughout the East African region.
The brands rated as Superbrands will now be informed by Superbrands East Africa and they will also have the opportunity to have their success stories told in more detail in the forthcoming Superbrands publication, which will prove an interesting read to consumers and marketers alike.
Each case study featured in the book will explore the history, development and achievements of the brands revealing extraordinary findings along the way. As has been the case in other markets the experts and consumers have some differing opinion on the best brands, as evidenced by each audience’s respective top ten. By combining the views of those experts, that understand marketing, together with the consumers, that ultimately decide which brands they believe in and wish to purchase, the official top ten gives a balanced and credible ranking