Ask Afrika reveals 2018/2019 icon brands winners

Icon Brands are brands that are used loyally across the South African demographic, the survey measures solus usage, which means that consumers will use only one brand within the product category, rather than a repertoire of favourite brands.

The Ask Afrika 2018/2019 Icon Brands winners were announced with Kiwi shoe polish garnering first place, followed in rank order by, McCain, Coca-Cola, Lucky Star, Sunlight dishwashing liquid, Koo baked beans, Melrose spread, Koo fruit syrup, KFC and MTN.

“The Icon Brands survey measures brand relevance across all segments of the demographic. It is not a popularity contest and does not measure which brands people like or aspire to, it is all about which brands are used by South Africans and used loyally across the spectrum. Ask Afrika measures actual behaviour and current usage. This is what differentiates Icon Brands from other surveys. Loyal usage, over and above footprint and what consumers like, is the holy grail for brand owners and the hardest element to achieve,” said Maria Petousis, TGI Executive whilst unpacking the methodology.

Robust methodology

The Icon Brands survey uses the Target Group Index (TGI) database, for which Ask Afrika has the local license. Thirty thousand consumers were surveyed, which represents over 24,7 million adult South African consumers. The sample was weighted using Stats SA data.

TGI provides an integrated platform about consumers, how they are changing, how they think and what is important to them. Methodological rigor ensures data is released every six months to keep a close tab on consumer trends.

TGI measures 8000 brands and 550 product categories, out of these 158 product categories formed part of the Icon Brands survey and only 40 brands in 19 product categories achieved Icon Brand status. The survey also defines Potential Icon Brands and 158 category winners. The results are independently audited by BDO and Dr Ariane Neethling.

“TGI is used by a majority of the top 50 advertisers and is the industry standard for strategic brand planning. The data provides a nuanced view of consumers and ensures strategies are relevant to current target markets, from political views to personal views, unpacking family structures and the influence these have on brands. Loyal brand consumption (or lack thereof), can inform meaningful marketing campaigns through integrated media strategies which drive relevant product/brand strategies to different target markets,” says Petousis.

To disrupt or not to disrupt – that is the question

There is currently a lot of hype about disruption in the marketing fraternity. Many companies and brands are striving to be disruptive and the reality is that not all brands can or should be disruptive. Icon Brands are established leader brands in their product categories, they are known to be reliable with a loyal consumer base. The job is to entrench and grow this loyalty, brands can’t be both incumbent and disruptors.

There are wannabe disruptor brands, that make a lot of noise and put on a big show, but in fact, they don’t bring anything particularly innovative or new to the market. Lastly, there are the true disruptor brands that are normally new entrants into a brand category and stand out because they genuinely do things differently, providing a new and enhanced product or service to consumers.

“We are living in times of change and unpredictability and this social milieu translates into the drive for brands to want to disrupt. If we think about disruption in terms of how we experience it, it does tend to be leaving society a little confused, unfocused, disengaged and erratic. Disruption brings chaos and uncertainty and it is not closely linked with trust and loyalty, yet brands want loyal consumers and consumers want brands they can trust,” says Sarina de Beer, client experience director of Ask Afrika.

Trust and loyalty

“Brand loyalty is declining and so is trust, in brands and in our leadership, locally and on a global level. Historical brand performance can no longer serve as a lighthouse to the future. There are so many different voices in the consumer landscape and consumers are feeling lost. Technological disruption is a reality and it has created a fear of disconnectedness and Fomo (fear of missing out).’

“Businesses are being disrupted and it is important to start thinking about sustainable and human impact. Brand image is often sexy and not real and we need to start considering what is real, what is real for us as human beings instead of co-creating a lack of trust and loyalty through double standards. Companies who know how to get loyalty bring it all together,” continues de Beer.

Icon Brands are defined by solus usage, consumers are loyal to only one brand in the category and will choose the same brand every time. The general trend is, however, that there is increasing non-solus usage or an expanding repertoire of brands that the consumers choose between within a category, driven by convenience. Certain product categories have a narrower brand repertoire, while others have a broader repertoire that consumers switch between. De Beer says:

The change in loyalty has altered the philosophy of buying. A brand manager’s job has become increasingly difficult. Loyalty is about innovatively combining many strategic elements and touch points to work together, creating a memorable, brand experience that is relevant to its target audience on a deep emotional level. Loyalty drivers for Icon Brands go beyond the hygiene factors of quality, price and reliability.

• Puts a smile on my face
• I am willing to pay extra for it
• It is a brand I trust
• Understands me
• It’s a brand I just love
• Contributes to and uplifts my community
• Fits into my lifestyle
• It is a brand that acts ethically
• Never disappoints
• Is the first to come up with something new

Youth loyalty drivers (15-24):

• Never disappoints
• Act ethically
• Fits into my lifestyle
• Understands me

Loyalists versus non-loyalists
Brand owners want loyal consumers, yet they often target non-loyalists with disruptive marketing strategies. If one looks at the psychographic profile of loyalists they can seem quite boring, they are traditionalists in terms of life values. Non-loyalists appear to be much more exciting and they have utopian life values. Marketers often want the non-loyalists as consumers because the brand personality can seem more attractive when aligned to non-loyalist attitudes, yet it is the loyalists who actually buy and use the brand. Icon Brands exist because of loyalists. There is a disconnect that needs to be considered when crafting a marketing strategy. De Beer says:

The overall take-out for marketers is don’t raise your voice, improve your message. Don’t create chaos with different marketing messages and disrupt for the sake of it. Innovation needs to be linked to scalability. Decide on who you are in terms of brand personality, then think about purpose and sustainability. Educate consumers, resonate with direction and heed the call of consumers for loyal and trustworthy leadership.

For more information to order an Ask Afrika Icon Brands report, contact Mashudu Ndopu (az.oc.akirfaksa@upodN.uduhsaM) or Maria Petousis (Maria.Petousis@askafrika.co.za Maria.Petousis@askafrika.co.za) or dial 012 428 7400.