Brands are loved when they build themselves as exceptional entities both for the businesses and the consumers. The brands always try to have profound, rich and captivating stories that can differentiate themselves from the competition. Because only then, they can be loved and adored as they have taken the time to establish brand leadership; which means getting committed to relevance, storytelling and quality product. However, recognizing those loved brands who have gone some extra miles for their consumers is very much essential.
To inspire the most loved brands of Bangladesh, ‘Best Brand Award’ was first initiated in 2008 by Bangladesh Brand Forum. The 10th edition of Best Brand Award, the largest celebration of brands in Bangladesh, took place on the 8th of December, 2018.
Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF), along with its Research Partner Nielsen Bangladesh, honored the most loved brands, based on an extensive consumer research carried out country-wide. The award ceremony took place at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Le Méridien, Dhaka. Moreover, the glorious event was attended by around 500 professionals from the branding and marketing community. The award initiative was organized in Association with The Daily Star. The objective of the Best Brand Award is to exhibit and celebrate success of the brands, achieved through effortful initiatives. This year, a total of 100 brands were recognized across 34 categories, of which the best brands in each category and the overall top 15 brands were awarded with the signature Best Brand Award crest.
INAUGURATION OF THE CEREMONY
The award giving ceremony started with the welcome speech of Mr. Mahfuz Anam, Editor & Publisher, The Daily Star. Congratulating all the best brands of Bangladesh, Mahfuz Anam urged them to plan their future courses of actions with the fundamental concept of sustainability. “Sustainability means the continuation of achieving those which we are achieving today. The most important element of sustainability is your relationship with nature. With our desire to outcompete our competitors, we often forget the most important partner in our whole advancement of civilization – nature. So, let us be fully concerned of the future challenges regarding resources, mindset and relationship between human beings and nature.”
Also spoke on the occasion Mr. Shariful Islam, Founder & MD of Bangladesh Brand Forum. He stressed, “Brands are more than logos or communications. Loved brands offer genuine value to its users; they offer functional and emotional benefits. On top of that, tomorrow’s loved brands need to be sustainable and stand for something more – a purpose beyond just making profit.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar, Director of IBA, University of Dhaka stressed, “Brands are those who are not just making the promises but are keeping them for the society. As marketers we must understand, the organizations will not sustain if they only focus on the market share and profitability. Because, the bottom line is to keep your consumers and the society first. If you do so, your brand will automatically sustain and will go forward. Bangladesh Brand Forum is always trying to convey this message which everyone must keep in mind.” Professor Ferhat Anwar is also the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Brand Forum.
UNVEILING THE SOUVENIR
Best Brand Award Souvenir is a unique brand book which is published every year in the auspicious event of Best Brand Award. The cover of the souvenir has been designed by Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Visual Artist, Director of Bangladesh Brand Forum, President of Women in Leadership and Founder of Bangladesh Creative Forum. She is also the Creative Curator of the whole Best Brand Award initiative. “Every year we publish this book in a very critical manner. The cover has been designed keeping in mind the name of the best brands’ logo so that the design can have the essence of those particular brands”, said Ms Preema.
METHODOLOGY OF BEST BRAND AWARD 2018
Best Brand Award started its journey with Nielsen Bangladesh in 2008 based on a global model (Winning BrandsTM) done through direct consumer survey of 4000 consumers across the country. After 5 years, BBF has partnered with Nielsen Bangladesh again for the 10th edition of the award. This year Nielsen Bangladesh, guided by South Asia Nielsen expert team, has added parameters which has made the study more robust.
Mr. Diptanshu Ray, Market Leader, South East Asia, Nielsen gave a detailed speech to explain the Methodology of Best Brand Award 2018. “The role of brands which is shaping up the future of Bangladesh is very crucial. Currently, 57% of the population is below the age of 30 which opens up the opportunity of youth-marketing in this market. This is the market where we have a very stable economy with a growing GDP and an increasing middle-class income. This is how, youth market, healthy economy and connected consumers have become the rising aspirations in the market and the role of brands in their purchase decision has gone up”, said Diptanshu Ray. Adding to that, he also shed lights on the fact that the local brands are now taking over the MNCs. The SKU proliferation is happening and the market is gaining permanence in shopper marketing along with consumer marketing, which has changed the overall game of purchase behavior.
The approach of this research was based on two key considerations: In-category evaluation based on BRAND Equity Index which is Nielsen’s proprietary Winning BrandsTM, and Cross Category Harmonization with multiplicative model to harmonize across categories on category-relevant parameters. The data collection method has been completely quantitative through Pen and Paper Interviews (PAPI). The study has covered 34 categories.
As a member of ESOMAR, Nielsen adheres to the highest rigor in all studies, including Pre-Fieldwork, During Fieldwork and Post-Fieldwork controls. Selection & training of the interviewers and practice questionnaires have been considered in the Pre-Fieldwork phase. However, accompanied interviews, back-checking control & questionnaire scrutinizing have been done during fieldwork. Lastly, data entry for coding & punching controls and data-cleaning program by checking each field for validity of range & logic ensured the effectiveness of post-fieldwork activities.
Following are the glimpses according to which the overall quality throughout the process has been ensured.
SESSIONS ON BRANDING & STRATEGY
The award ceremony also included two insightful sessions on branding and strategy. Experts who conducted the sessions were – Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson PhD, Branding Professor & Consultant; and Mohamed Geraldez, Californian Entrepreneur & Investor.
Professor Jonathan A.J. Wilson PhD is an Academic and Consultant who specializes in what he calls the ABCDs of Business and Culture: Advertising, Branding, Communications, and Digital. He has published over 200 pieces of work, which have led to over 100 conference-speaking engagements across the globe. Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Professor Jonathan brought out some of the examples of real world branding scenario which can inspire the Brand Marketers to do great in the future and maintain significant customer bases.
Mohamed Geraldez, Californian entrepreneur and investor, has worked in different industries like the largest vegan necktie company, a business & brand strategy firm based in London and an online platform offering the best deals for tech. On the occasion, he advised the Branding Professionals to consider the time of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence seriously as technology is moving very quicker. He told that it’s highly important for the marketers to keep pace with the changes to sustain in this highly competitive market.
UNVEILING THE BEST BRANDS
Following the sessions, the grand award ceremony started. Eminent brand-marketing experts and industry veterans were invited to hand over the crests to the representatives of winning brands. Best brands of each category and the overall top 15 brands were awarded with the signature Best Brand Award crest.
In the overall top 15 brands rank, Ispahani Mirzapore Tea won the status of the number one brand. This is the first time, a home-grown brand made it to the top of the overall best brands’ list. However, Closeup and Radhuni Masala secured the second and the third places in the overall best brands rank.
Lux has been the most loved toilet soap, while Wheel has been the most preferred laundry detergent. The top oral care, shampoo, and hair oil brands were Closeup, Sunsilk and Parachute Advansed, respectively. ACI Pure Salt, Fresh Refined Sugar, Radhuni Spice, Pran Frooto, MAGGI Noodles, Dano Full Cream Milk, Pran Milk Candy, Olympic Energy Plus Biscuit, Igloo Ice Cream, Rupchanda Fortified Soyabean Oil, MUM Pure Drinking Water won in the categories that listed the edibles, to name a few.
[button link=”https://cdn.bbf.digital/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/13043024/BEST-BRAND-AWARD-2018-WINNERS.pdf” icon=”fa-star” side=”left” target=”” color=”7410b7″ textcolor=”ffffff”]WINNER LIST | BBA 2018[/button]
PARTNERS & PATRONS
An initiative by Bangladesh Brand Forum, Best Brand Award 2018 has been organized in partnership with Nielsen Bangladesh and in association with The Daily Star. The initiative also had Strategic Partner – Bangladesh Creative Forum; Knowledge Partner – Marketing Society of Bangladesh (MSB); Event Partner – Le Méridien Dhaka; IT Partner – Aamra Network; Lifestyle Partner – Advanced Technology & Ideas Ltd. and PR Partner – Back Page PR.
The patrons for this year’s Best Brand Award were – ACI Pure Spices, Bashundhara Tissue, Bangladesh Edible Oil Limited (BEOL), Berger Paints Bangladesh, BSRM, City Group, Maggi, Olympic Industries Ltd., Pepsi, PRAN-RFL Group, RAK Ceramics, Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh Ltd., Shwapno, Singer, Square Toiletries Ltd. and Unilever Bangladesh Ltd.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The presence of all the key members of each brand and their support towards Bangladesh Brand Forum made the 10h iteration of this grand event possible. Bangladesh Brand Forum exists to influence brands like these to achieve more, as they improve Bangladesh as a country and helps Bangladesh to develop the economy even further. The occasion has established a direction for all the existing brands to face the present saturated market and the fierce competition between brands. Consumers are now in a position of power when offers are coming at them with all approaches. Due to this abundance of choice, they are rightly demanding so much more from the brands that will be beneficial for them and the society as well.
