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