The results of the UK’s top 500 Superbrands are now in. Organised by the Centre for Brand Analysis, the survey invites consumers to vote on a list of the UK’s top brands compiled by industry experts, and ranks the results.
No cosmetics in top 100
Although the performance of the cosmetics and toiletries sector has improved on last year there is still no brand in the top 100.
According to Stephen Cheliotis, the chief executive at the centre for brand analysis, this performance could be due to the lack of heritage and emotional attachment that consumers hold for these brands.
The top performer in the category was Estée Lauder at 120, followed by Chanel at 142 and Clinique at 195.
This sprinkling of luxury brands was then followed by the likes of toiletry giants Gillette, Wilkinson Sword and Colgate, before the flagship brands of the big personal care players come in, with Dove at 11th place in the category (294th overall) and Nivea at 13th (300th overall).
Regarding the performance of brands such as Nivea, Cheliotis said: “I am surprised that some of these don’t make the top 100.”
However, the ranking obviously depends on the definition of a ‘superbrand’ and Cheliotis points out that although brands such as Nivea and Olay have huge recognition they may not stand out in their category as offering benefits to the consumer over and above the norm.
For the purposes of the survey a superbrand is defined as a brand that has established the finest reputation in its field, offering customers significant emotional and tangible advantages over other brands, which (consciously or sub-consciously) they want and recognise.
Heritage or emotional ties
In the absence of a long heritage that consumers identify with from their childhood such as Kellogg’s, a brand needs to have a unique set of values and emotional positioning that makes it stand out in its category, Cheliotis explained.
He highlighted Dove as a brand that is currently creating such a position for itself with consumers.
Through its ‘Real Beauty’ advertising campaign – that links Dove with a set of values that the consumer can identify with – the brand is creating an emotional position to set it apart from the rest of the category.
In this way consumers see the brand and can easily recognise what it stands for, linking it with a set of values that have emotional significance.
Dove moved up through the top 500 by 180 places to takes its place this year at 294 and it will be interesting to see how its marketing campaign affects next year’s results, he added.