Brand Africa | South Africa's Best Brands: Bathu and MTN top the rankings

Image supplied. Some of the Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands, | South Africa’s Best Brands winners

This is according to the Brand Africa and Brand SA rankings for 2022 Brand Africa | South Africa’s Best Brands.

These were released ahead of the release of the 2023 Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands to be released on 25 May 2023 at a breakfast roundtable hosted by Brand South Africa acting CEO Sithembile Ntombela and Brand Africa founder and chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng.

Top 100

MTN, DStv, Tiger Brands, Shoprite, Bathu, Drip and Clover are the only South African brands in the Top 100 most admired brands in the pan-African list where African brands account for only 17% of the most admired brands in Africa.

South African brands account for 56% of the most admired African brands, Nigerian brands at 24% led by Dangote and Ethiopian brands occupy 20% led by Ethiopian Airways.

These nations are the pace-setters as leading brand nations in Africa.

Most admired South African brands

In the financial services sector, FNB is the most admired South African brand among all African consumers, but Capitec is the #1 South African brand among South African consumers.

Amongst media brands, DStv leads the way as the most admired South African brand by both all Africa and South African consumers.

Bathu and Drip, the challenger brands launched less than five years ago, made an audacious entry into the Top 100 brands in the continent, fuelled primarily by their rapid expansion, collaborations and extensive communication and media campaigns that extended the brands’ reach and appeal beyond their domestic borders.

Portia M was recognised as the most admired women-owned brand.

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South African brands' achievements

Ntombela applauded the South African brands and their significance in building the country brand.

“It is inspiring to see the emergence of new and youthful brands such as Drip, Bathu and Portia M, and the resilience of stalwart corporate brands such as MTN, DStv, Tiger Brands, Shoprite and Clover, which affirm South Africa’s credentials as an innovative nation that consistently births brands that contribute to the nation’s competitiveness and reputation globally.

“These brands tell incredible stories of creativity, entrepreneurship and resilience that have established South Africa as a leading economy in Africa,” she says,

Brand South Africa is an institutional partner of Brand Africa.

“Since 2011, Brand Africa has driven a brand-led agenda to re-imagine the continent’s image, reputation and competitiveness. The Brand Africa survey and rankings are undoubtedly a barometer of Africa’s progress,” says Ikalafeng.

Research conducted in-field

The 2023 Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands research across 30 countries in the continent is now conducted in-field.

The research is once again conducted by Brand Africa partners, Geopoll for fieldwork, and Kantar and Brand Leadership for the analysis and rankings.

Every year on or around Africa Day, 25 May, Brand Africa releases the results of the survey globally.

Now in its 13th year, the results are also published in the June issue of African Business magazine.

For the South African results, Brand Africa has partnered with Sunday World to release the results in a Sunday World supplement on 23 July 2023.

The results on a survey across 30 countries that represent as much as 85% of the continent’s GDP and population.