Brand South Africa's Today I woke up in South Africa most loved campaign in SA's 30 years

Brand Africa founder and chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, announces the leading South African brands in the 14th annual Brand Africa 100 and Africa’s Best Brands research and rankings

Announced by the Brand Africa founder and chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Tuesday, 11 June this year the research also presented the brands, events, campaigns and people who have shaped South African brands over the past 30 years.

This showed the impact of local brands and campaigns South Africans love. Of the top five campaigns that resonate with South Africans, the top one was Brand South Africa's Today I woke up in South Africa.

Second is Metro's What makes you Black?, followed by the SABC's Feel it. It is here. campaign for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The last two positions are taken up by telecom companies, Telkom and Vodacom respectively. Who can forget the iconic Molo mhlobo wam from Telkom, or the unforgettable Vodacom's .

The top 10 brands that have shaped the country and its identity as well as competitiveness include:

1. African Bank
   
2. Castle Lager
   
3. Discovery
   
4. DStv
   
5. FNB
   
6. MTN
   
7. Nando’s
   
8. Shoprite/Checkers
   
9. Telkom
10. Vodacom

The three most impactful South Africans who embody the spirit of Ubuntu are Desmond Tutu, Imtiaz Sooliman of Gift of the Givers and Nelson Mandela.

The three campaigns, events or organisations that demonstrate Ubuntu and social impact are the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the Solidarity Fund and the Gift of the Givers Foundation.

The three most inspirational entrepreneurial brands founded by South African youth are Bathu, Maxhosa and Yoco. Cape Town topped the top three places or destinations that have placed South Africa on the map followed by the Kruger National Park and Soweto.

The top three events and experiences are the Rugby World Cup 1995 and 2023, South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel and the Fifa 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Brand Africa 100 and Africa’s Best Brands results

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: Overall (Top 100)

• Nike
  
• Adidas
  
• Puma
  
• Samsung
  
• Coca-Cola

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: South African Brands (Top 100)

• Bathu
  
• Maxhosa
  
• Woolworths
  
• Drip
  
• Redbat

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: Financial Services

• FNB
  
• Capitec
  
• Absa
  
• Standard Bank
  
• Old Mutual

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: Media

• DStv
  
• Netflix
  
• SABC
  
• Media24/News 24
  
• eNCA

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: African Identity

• Maxhosa
  
• Bathu
  
• MTN
  
• DStv
  
• Drip

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: Pan-African

• MTN
  
• DStv
  
• Shoprite
  
• Woolworths
  
• Bathu

Most Admired Brands – South Africa: Country contributing to a better Africa

• South Africa
  
• United States
  
• China
  
• Nigeria
  
• Botswana

Most Admired Brands - South Africa - Doing good for society, people and environment: NGO

• WHO
  
• Gift of the Givers
  
• Unicef/UN
  
• Red Cross
  
• Greenpeace

Most Admired Brands - South Africa - Doing good for society, people and environment: African

• Woolworths
  
• Shoprite/Checkers
  
• Old Mutual
  
• FNB
  
• Tiger Brands

Most Admired Brands - South Africa - Doing good for society, people and environment: Non-African

• Nike
  
• Coca-Cola
  
• Unilever
  
• Google
  
• Adidas

Most Admired Brands: Africa

Most Admired Brands: Africa – Doing good for society, people and environment: NGO

• Unicef/UN
  
• WHO/OMS
  
• USAID
  
• Red Cross/Croix Rouge
  
• ONU

Most Admired Brands: Africa – Doing good for society, people and environment: African

• MTN
  
• Dangote
  
• Azam
  
• Trade Kings
  
• DStv

Most Admired Brands: Africa – Doing good for society, people and environment: Non-African

• Coca Cola
  
• Vodafone/Vodacom/Safaricom
  
• Nike
  
• Unilever
  
• Samsung

Most Admired Brands: Africa

Most Admired Brands: Africa: African Brands (Spontaneous recall)

• MTN (South Africa)
  
• Dangote (Nigeria)
  
• Trade Kings (Zambia)
  
• Glo (Nigeria)
  
• DStv (South Africa)

Most Admired Brands: Africa: African Brands (Aided recall)

• MTN (South Africa)
  
• Dangote (Nigeria)
  
• DStv (Nigeria)
  
• Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia)
  
• Bathu (South Africa)

Now in its 14th year, every year on or around Africa Day, 25 May, Brand Africa releases the global results of the research and rankings of the most admired brands in Africa based on a survey across over 30 countries that account for as much as 85% of the continent’s GDP and population.

The research for the 2024 Brand Africa 100 and Africa’s Best Brands covered 31 countries across every economic region in the continent, including South Africa, and took place between February and March.

The research is independently conducted by Geopoll that leads the fieldwork, and Kantar and Brand Leadership, that lead the analysis and rankings.