African brands slip to 14% of the Top 100 most admired brands as global firms entrench their position

...Nike retains #1 ranking for 5th consecutive year in a relatively unchanged Top 10 ranking 

Today, on Africa Day, Brand Africa released the 13th list of the most admired brands in Africa based on a survey and rankings conducted by Geopoll, Kantar and Brand Leadership, across 32 African countries that account for more than 85% of the continent’s GDP and population.

Despite optimism with the progress of AfCFTA and other initiatives to drive African initiatives, African brands regressed 20% from a 10-year high of 17% to 14% share of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa, as stalwart African brands, MTN dropped out of the Top 10, and all African brands lost ground, except Zambia’s Trade Kings, the highest African mover and new at #38.

Europe, led by Adidas at #2, has grown its share of the most admired brands in Africa to 37%, ahead of North America at 32% led by Nike, the #1 brand for the 5th consecutive year, and Asia which retains its 17% share led by Samsung, the #3 brand for the 3rd consecutive year.

In a new category of brands that are doing good for people, society and the environment, inspired by business shifting from profit to purpose, UNICEF emerged as the #1 NGO, Coca-Cola the #1 non-African brand and MTN the #1 African brand. 

In a category-specific ranking of the Top 25 financial services brands, Africa’s oldest banking group, Standard Bank surged to the #1 most admired brand in Africa, displacing GTBank, which had led the rankings for the past 3 years, but is reeling from recent UK regulatory issues, service challenges and a tough competitive environment.  The category is dominated by South African (6) and Nigerian (6) brands which account for 48% of the rankings, with the USA (4), led by VISA, at 16% percent, making up 64% of the Top 25 brands.

In a category-specific ranking of the Top 25 media brands, DSTV, the consumer brand of the Multichoice Group, retains its dominant ranking ahead of BBC and CNN as the most admired media brand in Africa. Consistent with previous rankings, non-African media dominate the continent, accounting for 76% of the Top 25 brands.

MTN is the #1 most admired African brand in the Top 100 brands recalled spontaneously, while Dangote has retaken the lead as the #1 most admired brand when respondents are prompted to recall an African brand specifically.

Fifteen (15) percent of the Top 100 brands are new entrants, led by USA’s Oral B the highest mover at #34, Zambia’s Trade Kings at #38 and the USA’s Jordan at #42.

The Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands research took place between February and covered 32 countries across all economic regions in the continent. The 2023/24 research is once again being conducted by Brand Africa partners, Geopoll covered sub-Sahara Africa, Analysis, a Kantar affiliate in Mauritius covered the sub-Sahara Islands, and Morocco’s Integrate, an affiliate of Kantar covered North Africa. Kantar and Brand Leadership produced the rankings, while the Brand Africa Scientific Committee convened to review, analyse and validate the results. 

“It is concerning that despite the momentum in operationalising the AfCFTA, rising internal pride in the continent albeit against global economic challenges, that African consumers have reverted to their trusted, mostly non-Africa brands, rather than give African brands a chance,” says Thebe Ikalafeng, the founder and chairman of Brand Africa. “Nonetheless, this is the state of brands in Africa, and an urgent need to build trust in Made in African brands.” 

“With an ever-increasing number of countries, greater sample size, and the growth of mobile across the continent, more than ever, using mobile continues to prove to be an effective tool to reach and access respondents across the continent,” said, Bernard Okasi, Director of Research, GeoPoll, which has been the lead data collection partner since 2015.

Karin Du Chenne, Chief Growth Officer Africa Middle East for Kantar, which has been the insight lead for Brand Africa since its inception in 2010 says, “Despite the increased countries and sample sizes which have invariably grown the volumes of brands analysed, the survey continues to yield a very consistent picture of the leading brands in the continent, albeit not yet to Africa’s advantage.”

As a non-profit initiative and to ensure the objectivity and independence of the rankings, the Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands research to determine the most admired top-of-mind brands in Africa are not funded by any brand.  

The 2022/23 survey research was carried out between February and April 2023 across 32 African countries.  The research is once again conducted by Brand Africa partners, Geopoll who led the fieldwork, and Kantar and Brand Leadership who led the analysis and rankings. 

For the 10th consecutive year, the full results, including the Top 100, category rankings and comprehensive analysis will be published in the July issue of African Business magazine out in June and Top 100 rankings in www.brand.africa on 1 July 2023.  

Over the next few weeks, starting on 6 June in Ivory Coast, Brand Africa will be releasing country-specific rankings of the most admired brands and the most admired brand-builders in the leading countries across the continent.

Now in its 13th year, and every year on or around Africa Day, 25 May, Brand Africa releases the results of the survey on the most admired brands in Africa based on a survey across more than 30 countries which represent as much as 85% of the continent’s GDP and population.