KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia is the highest ranked Malaysian brand in the 2015 Asia’s Top 1000 Brands survey done by Campaign Asia-Pacific and Nielsen.
According to the latest annual study, AirAsia rose from 43rd spot last year to number 34 now, its highest ranking in the poll’s 12-year history. Market research firm Nielsen estimated the low-cost carrier’s advertising spending in the region at US$146.67mil (RM540.8mil) last year.
AirAsia is not only the top Malaysian brand but also the top overall airline brand in the region. And it has occupied that coveted spot every year since overtaking Singapore Airlines back in 2010.
There are about 25 other Malaysian brands on the Asia’s Top 1000 list. The reason for us using the word “about” here is due to ambiguity as to whether some are Malaysian, such as brands that were founded by Malaysians but owned or said to originate abroad (including Jimmy Choo and Shangri-la) or brands whose beginnings straddle both Malaysia and Singapore (e.g. Cold Storage).
The survey itself is about consumer perception. The brand-image poll, spanning 13 Asia-Pacific markets from China to Malaysia, covered 14 product/service categories and asked two questions:
1) “When you think of the following category, which is the best brand that comes to your mind? By best, we mean the one that you trust the most or the one that has the best reputation in this category.”
2) “Apart from the best brand that you entered, which brand do you consider to be the second best brand in the category?”
The “Malaysian” brands that made the list include Shangri-la (number 133), Jimmy Choo (271), Old Town White Coffee (332), Mister Potato (385), Maybank (397), Peel Fresh (453), Malaysia Airlines (508), Petronas (511), Maxis (543), Spritzer (552), Poh Kong (657), Mamee (690), Boh (691), Celcom (716), Marigold HL (717), DiGi (759), Habib Jewels (781), PosLaju (798), Firefly (852), CIMB Bank (856), Bonia (861), Cold Storage (888), Mydin (963), Takaful Malaysia (966), Caring (985), and Public Bank (987).
In the inaugural survey 12 years ago, Proton was the highest ranked Malaysian brand at number 80, followed by Petronas (91) and Telekom Malaysia (92).
Malaysia Airlines, whose brand image had recently taken a beating after years of winning international awards, is now ranked 22 among all airlines, down from 7th spot five years ago and from 16th last year.
The top 10 overall brands this year are the same top 10 brands in 2014, except for minor place swaps.
They are, in order of rankings, Samsung (with an estimated advertising spending of US$1.43bil or RM5.3bil in Asia-Pacific last year), Sony, Nestle, Apple, Panasonic, Nike, LG, Canon, Chanel and Adidas. All of them spent above US$190mil (RM700mil) on advertising in the region except for Nike (US$98.56mil).
Campaign Asia-Pacific said in a statement in conjunction with the survey findings' release: “Beyond the headline of Samsung’s hold on the top spot, there is an overall trend in this year’s ranking of luxury names falling almost across the board. In Asia this may be one of the biggest signifiers of an emerging markets becoming more mature - it could also signal the end of a luxury boom that seemed to have no end in sight.”
Among the biggest gainers this year are Milo, which surged 143 places to reach number 72, and Acer, which leaped 45 spots to reach number 78.
Major declines included Singapore Airlines’ slumping 20 places to number 83 and Omega’s 43-notch plunge to number 235.
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