media update’s David Jenkin was at The Venue in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, on Monday, 14 August, to see the winners honoured and the insights unpacked.

About the benchmark

Ask Afrika, South Africa’s largest independent market research company, created the Icon Brands™ benchmark for the benefit of marketers, strategists, and brand custodians, and measures which brands are used most loyally by local consumers across all spectrums.

From over 8 000 brands across 162 product categories, 28 brands made it to Icon status in 2017/2018, and the top ten were honoured with awards. The consumer survey, conducted by Ask Afrika’s Target Group Index (TGI) over a ten-month period, surveyed 15 000 people through face-to-face interviews that focused on consumption usage.

In her opening address, Ask Afrika director, Maria Petousis said, “Icon Brands are about relevance across South Africa’s demographic, it’s not a popularity contest, it’s not brands which are liked or aspired to, but about brands which all South Africans use and use most loyally.”     

The top 10

The brands that made it to the very top of the list were honoured with awards at the event, which were collected on-stage by a representative.

They were as follows:

10. Huletts

9. I&J

8. McCain

7. Clover

6. Koo Baked Beans

5. Koo Fruit Cocktail in Syrup

4. Maggi 2-Minute Noodles

3. Sunlight

2. Coca-Cola

1. Kiwi Shoe Polish

Unpacking the insights

The managing director of Ask Afrika, Sarina de Beer, said there was a great deal revealed in the data about trends and shifting mindsets, and some of the old ways of thinking and doing business will have to change.

Loyalty has changed, she said, and probably is not even relevant anymore; rather it is something of an ‘old-school’ philosophy. The change has occurred over different generations and is evident on many levels, from politics to marriage and friendships, making brand loyalty seem almost unnatural. The significant decrease in loyalty seen over time will continue to get worse, as it is no longer the way people think, socialise, or construct the world around them.

“We need to understand how paradigms have changed,” she said, “How loyalty is maybe no longer feasible or even relevant, it’s probably no longer a valid goal for businesses to pursue.”

Massive economic pressure is one of the forces driving this pattern locally as consumers have become more price sensitive, she said, but for special occasions, when there is a need to impress, premium brands are still preferred. Bulk shopping, indicative of consumers with cash-flow, is also declining, as are ‘nice to have’ purchases. Consumers are more savvy and spend more time searching for good deals.

The concept of transient ownership is becoming more pervasive as consumers prioritise access over assets. “Even though I might not be able to afford a product anymore, or car or a new set of golf clubs, we look at what is the monthly affordability that I can accommodate. So even if it means I can’t own something, it’s not an asset, but I can exchange it, or give it back in two years’ time and maybe get a newer version or an upgrade.”

The new paradigm is about ‘what fits me, who I am and how I think’, she explained, and about corporates taking the moral high ground, as they are held to a higher ethical standard than what most hold themselves to. It’s a little more inward-looking except when it comes to benchmarks, she said, where people tend to look outwardly for others to qualify their experiences.

For more information, visit www.askafrika.co.za.

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It is possible for great brands to buck a tough economic environment, something savvy marketers know all too well. Read more in our article Five takeaways from Brand SA’s South Africa Top 50 Brands.