M-Pesa, Red Cross top Kenya’s list of ‘super brands’

Safaricom’s mobile money payments service M-Pesa has topped this year’s list of Kenya’s Superbrands, overtaking its parent company, Safaricom, which dropped to number three in the bi-annual ranking.

Kenya Red Cross Society took second position, standing out as the only relief organisation in the top 10 positions based on a survey of marketing experts and Kenyan consumers.

Tech companies dominated the ranking, with Facebook, Google and Microsoft taking the fifth, sixth and seventh positions respectively as they made their debut in the fourth Kenya Superbrands listing.

“We surveyed both informed experts and consumers who ultimately decide what brands to buy to determine the region’s strongest superbrands,” said Stephen Cheliotis, chief executive of The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA) which did the ranking.

Daily Nation and Citizen Television were the only media brands that made an appearance in the top 10 list at position four and nine respectively. The two, however, dropped from positions two and five respectively.

Nakumatt and Mumias Sugar took the eighth and tenth positions.

The survey was conducted by the London-based TCBA and Africa’s research firm TNS RMS.

“The leading brands not only prove that they offer quality products and services that consumers can trust but do so on a consistent basis.”

While conducting the survey, Rueben Egesa of TNS RMS East Africa, said they found out that most consumers were tech-savvy and preferred brands that engaged them electronically. They also found out that consumers have a preference for brands that appeal to the global market.

Nearly 1,000 brands were reviewed.

The companies clinching the top positions were exceptional in generating respect among experts and desirability among consumers, said Mr Cheliotis.

“Consumers are more exposed because of the pool of information available and being informed has made them very demanding and specific to the kind of products they consume and services they subscribe to,” said Mr Egesa.

According to Mr Cheliotis, Superbrands are defined by their ability to position themselves differently in the market. Quality products or services, ability to deliver consistently, personality and values of the brand were therefore the key determinants of the superbrands.

“A superbrand delivers tangibly and emotionally. Quality, reliability and distinction of the service or product distinguishes it from the rest.”

Among the brands ousted from the top ten positions are Coca-Cola, Equity Bank, Crown Paints, Colgate which are currently at number 11, 18, 20, 14 respectively, Citizen Radio and Kenya Airways.