MTN has become Africa’s most admired brand in Africa and maintained its rank as the most valuable African brand. Furthermore, Samsung which was number three on the list in 2014, jumped to number two, while Coca Cola, the most admired brand in 2014, dropped to the third most admired brand.
Given the large increase in sample size and country coverage from 2014 to 2015, the stability in the top three is striking and arguably attributable to their wide penetration on the continent and their consistent brand strength and investment.
While the scope of Brand Africa 100 has broadened from eight countries in 2014 to 22 in 2015, the established non-African brands and their African challengers have maintained their positions in the hearts and wallets of African consumers.
The release indicates that it is no longer South Africa that dominates African brand recognition and Nigeria is now the country with the most brands in the top 100, up from 5 to 11.
A release from Brand Africa last week indicated that this year, the scope and sample countries have been vastly expanded from a base of 8 countries in the past years to 22 countries covering every leading African economy, all 5 political regions and economic zones – making it the only and most representative and comprehensive pan-African study on brands in Africa.
Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman – Brand Africa said, “These rankings are an important metric of the progress Africa is making in building made in Africa brands and challenging the dominant non-African brands in Africa which over the years have accounted for 80% of the most admired brands in Africa and a dominant 99% share of the value of the Top 100.”
He added that, “While non-African brands dominate Africa because of their sheer volumes, historical admiration and investment, it is important for Africa’s ultimate economic independence that it competes for a larger share of its own consumer base, which is estimated will reach a population of 2bn by 2050 and achieve consumer expenditure of $1 trillion by 2020. Equally, the license for non-African brands to thrive in Africa will be determined no longer by history and economic might, but by how they adapt to the evolving and increasingly assertive African consumer who demand brands that reflect their needs, conditions and ambitions.”
