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Johannesburg - British Airways has "done the double" at the Superbrands 2015 awards, winning both the business and consumer titles.
The airline secured the Consumer Superbrands title last year, but this is the first time any airline has been awarded both the top titles. Google was the last brand to win both categories in 2008.
It means that British Airways has beaten Apple, Virgin Atlantic, Microsoft and Visa to the top business brand slot and Rolex, BBC, Microsoft and Nike to the best consumer brand accolade.
The UK's Consumer Superbrands are chosen by the British public in a national survey of 2 500 adults, while the Business Superbrands are chosen by a panel of marketing experts and 2 000 individual business professionals from across the UK.
Keith Williams, British Airways' executive chair thanked the airline's customers for helping to secure the top spot.
Stephen Cheliotis, chief executive of The Centre for Brands Analysis and chair of the Superbrands Council, said British Airways has consolidated its brand strength and not only retained top spot in the Consumer Superbrands survey but also taken pole position in the Business Superbrands survey for the first time.
"To lead both surveys is remarkable, especially considering over 1 500 well-known consumer brands and 1 200 business brands were analysed. British Airways' overarching 'To Fly: To Serve' positioning and daily focus on exceptional service clearly continues to resonate with flyers, while the brand is also benefitting from recent investments in its planes, lounges, marketing and technology," he said.
"While a much-loved heritage brand, British Airways continues to be recognised for its focus on customer-centric innovation, seen this year through programmes like the hi-tech happiness blanket trial, its pioneering partnership with Solena Fuels and its Cannes Lion award for an innovative digital campaign. In short, British Airways successfully combines tradition with slick delivery and continuous invention and improvement to remain a trusted, desirable and relevant brand."
The awards also come just ahead of the publication on April 28 of a new book, Better By Design: Shaping the British Airways Brand, written by the director of the British Airways archive, Paul Jarvis and published by Amberley.
