Always Coca-Cola

Johannesburg - With a new research company doing the work, the Sunday Times' Top Brands survey has a number of fresh names in the top 10. In come Koo, Clover, KFC and Levi's; out go Pick n Pay (despite grabbing top spot for being environmentally friendly), Eskom, MTN and Toyota. But Coca-Cola remains the overall favourite brand, with increased support.

The new approach, said Neil Higgs of TNS Research Surveys, was to measure a brand's relative power among users and attraction to non-users, rather than size alone. The brand choice reflects what consumers use or aspire towards.

Brands with well-liked advertising and sustainable social investment won the most categories. According to marketing and commercial leadership director Ilan Sobel, Coca-Cola remains at the top because it "exercises a relentless focus on understanding the South African consumer".

TNS Research Surveys has taken over from Markinor, which has handled the study since inception. Interviews were conducted with 4 000 participants older than 18, telephonically or face-to-face, covering metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas.

Urban areas and higher income groups made up more of the sample "to allow upper-end brands to have sufficient representation for meaningful analysis".

Firm favourites

The top 15 favourite brands are :

• 1. Coca-Cola
• 2. Vodacom
• 3. Nike
• 4. KOO
• 5. Clover
• 6. KFC
• 7. SAB
• 8. Nokia
• 9. Levi's
• 10. BMW
• 11. Pick 'n Pay
• 12. Castle Lager
• 13. MTN
• 14. Shoprite
• 15. Kellogg's

- Fin24.com