Branding News South Africa

Brand SABC is recognised

The SABC dominated both the Business to Business and Business to Consumer (Television and Radio) categories in the Markinor/Sunday Times Top Brands Survey results announced this week. The annual 2005 Encyclopedia of Brands and Branding in South Africa was launched alongside the survey.

The Business-to Business module was compiled from 400 telephone interviews at Chief Executive level. The SABC, which did not appear on the top ten list last year, heads the list this year, followed by Business Day and then the Sunday Times Business Times.

Heidi Brauer, Marketing Director at Markinor, says: "Marketers and brand managers know that this is an accurate reflection of what is happening at the consumer coalface and this year in both the Consumer and Business modules, past and current usage questions have been added to enhance the usability of the results."

Markinor's National Omnibus Survey, M-bus, was used to gather information for the Consumer module. The universe consisted of 3 500 adults, 16 years and older, living in residential homes in South Africa. The survey, which went into the field in April, comprises all races as well as geographical areas, urban as well as rural.

Ray Nkwe, General Manager of SABC1, says: "SABC1 is undoubtedly South Africa's most loved television brand with a brand relationship score of 54.3%.The channel's popularity is boosted by a significant preference for the channel in non-metropolitan areas."

SABC1 broadcasts in the Nguni languages and English and currently has an estimated viewership of 15 million per week..

SABC2 has moved up a notch into the second position with a brand relationship score of 34.2%. SABC3 ended fourth.

In Radio, the SABC is the dominant force attracting massive audiences. Ukhozi fm, which leads the top ten list for the second year in a row with a brand relationship score of 19.2 is the second largest station in the world and the largest radio station in Africa.

This full spectrum station that broadcasts in Zulu has an average daily audience of 4.5 million listeners (Mon - Friday).

Umhlobo Wenene, the second biggest vernaclar radio station in South Africa, with an average of 3.3 million listeners per day (Mon - Friday), ended second with a brand relationship score of 14.4 %, followed by Metro fm, Lesedi, Motsweding fm, Thobela fm, with Munghana Lonene in the eight position and 5fm in the tenth spot.

Mark Jakins, CE Commercial Enterprises of the SABC, says: "A big thank you to our audiences, advertisers and Corporate South Africa. For years we have been building loyalty in our marketing efforts with brand distinctiveness, clear marketing segmentation, the power of language advertising and investment in our brands - this vindicates our efforts."

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