More on brand building: Nielsen releases data on top Philippine brands

Sunday, 10 July 2011 23:43

Written by Resti Reyes. Jr.

Tags: Mind Wars

Nielsen has announced it has completed an exclusive study on the Top 10 brands in the Philippines. The report was prepared in a tie-up with Singapore-based trade publication “Campaign”, and offers insights into the particular preferences of the Filipino consumer. The most observable point is that Filipino preferences differ quite a bit from global preferences. This is most noticeable in the technology sector where emerging trends internationally do not seem to be taking hold on Philippine soil. Case in point is Nokia – its dominance of the Philippine mobile phone market, a market it has dominated for many years, goes against global trends. And the single most visible brand in the U.S. – Apple’s iPhone – is so conspicuously absent from the roster.

Top brands in the Philippines are generally local and established brands which are leaders in their respective product categories. Most are FMCG brands which have introduced new products or have been aggressively advertising in traditional media.

Topping the list is the ubiquitous mobile phone brand Nokia. The dominant market leader continues its strong hold over the hearts and minds of most Filipinos, with its wide range of handset models from economy to premium, basic to sophisticated models. The respondents appear to be oblivious to the recent woes of Nokia abroad. Internationally, the brand is suffering tremendous losses in brand value, losing as much as 28% of its value according to the latest report from Millward Brown.

Nescafe follows in second place. The brand recently revitalized itself with the introduction of different coffee mixes and variants and has retained its market leadership in its category.

Lucky Me Instant Noodles sits on third position with battery brand Energizer following closely in fourth position. Local brand Jollibee in fifth is the country's number one fast food/hamburger chain well known for its 'Chicken Joy' bestseller. The hamburger brand sells more chicken than burgers.

In sixth position is another local brand Selecta, market leader in the ice cream sector and also the first brand to introduce multiple flavors in one tub. RTD (ready-to-drink) tea brand C2 follows in seventh position – also a local brand and market leader in its sector and the first to introduce the green tea drink. It is also credited with the unique accomplishment of having beaten Coca-Cola for dominance of the beverage market, even though it is not a soda product.

Isotonic drink Gatorade occupies the eight position followed by local energy drink Cobra in ninth place. Cobra is a market leader and the first energy drink in returnable glass bottles offered in downline channels such as sari-sari stores.

The largest local mall chain, SM Malls, completes the list. It currently boasts 40 branches nationwide while the other mall chains, including Robinson’s and Ayala, are nowhere near this number.

The Also-Rans (Other Top Brands):
Top ready-to-drink juice brands. Local brands Zest-O and Del Monte are dominating the RTD juice category. Zest-O’s affordable price made it popular among the masses while Del Monte’s healthy positioning helped it gain a strong following among the upper and middle classes.

1. Zest-O
2. Del Monte 100% Pineapple Juice
3. Del Monte Fit 'n Right
4. Big 250
5. Del Monte Juice Drinks
5. Tropicana Twister
5. Funchum
6. Del Monte (unspecified)
6. Magnolia Juice
6. Minute Maid

Top ready-to-drink tea brands. The introduction of C2 by local giant snacking food company Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has added depth to the beverage landscape dominated by CSDs (carbonated soft drinks). C2 provides a ‘healthier’ option to consumers. With its success, consumers saw growth in the number of RTD iced tea brands. C2 is non-carbonated.

1. C2
2. Nestea
3. Lipton
4. Real Leaf
5. Del Monte Fit 'n Right Iced Tea
Top isotonic drink brands. Gatorade is the first isotonic drink in the market. It was launched as a sports drink that keeps athletes hydrated while maintaining a high level of performance.

1. Gatorade
2. 7-Up
3. Powerade
Top instant noodle brands. Instant noodles serve as alternative to rice meals, especially for the low-income segment. Lucky Me is a product of Monde Nissin. The brand is known to pioneer new noodle products as well as new flavors. One of its achievements is Lucky Me Pancit Canton, which currently carries at least five different flavors.

1. Lucky Me Instant Noodles
2. Lucky Me Pancit Canton
3. Quickchow
4. Maggi Instant Noodles
5. Payless Instant Noodles
5. Nissin's Cup Noodles

There are a few more categories included in this survey, and we will write about those results in the next issues of Mind Wars.

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