Top brands felicitated
In the decade-long history of Bangladesh Brand Forum's Best Brand Awards, a local company has topped the chart of the country's most-loved brands for the first time.
Ispahani Mirzapore, a tea brand of Ispahani Group, came out as the best brand as about a hundred brands were recognised yesterday as the finest products in Bangladesh in a testament to their acceptance among consumers.
The awarding ceremony was organised at Le Méridien Dhaka in partnership with Nielsen Bangladesh and in association with The Daily Star.
A total of 34 brands were awarded in as many categories and 66 others were recognised in the 10th edition of the event. The brands were chosen based on a direct survey of 4,000 consumers across the country.
Transcom Beverage, the sole franchisee of PepsiCo in Bangladesh, won the top award for 7Up in the carbonated soft drink category. Lux was the most-loved toilet soap while Wheel the most preferred laundry detergent.
Closeup was recognised as the top oral care brand, Sunsilk the top shampoo brand and Parachute Advansed the top hair oil. Fair & Lovely won the accolade in the fairness cream and lotion category.
Shwapno was the most loved superstore. Savlon won in the liquid antiseptic category, Harpic in the toilet cleaner and Senora in the sanitary napkin category.
Fresh, Radhuni, Dano, Rupchada, Pran Frooto, Igloo, MUM, Speed, Olympic, Maggi Noodles, Pran Milk Candy, ACI Pure Salt, Fresh Refined Sugar, Bata, Samsung mobile, Singer, BSRM, RFL, Berger, RAK Ceramics, and Bashundhara Tissue were recognised in different categories.
The overall top 15 brands are: Ispahani Mirzapore, Close Up, Radhuni Masala, Grameenphone, bKash, Parachute, Lux Beauty Soap, Pran Frooto, Rupchada Soyabean Oil, Fresh, Fresh atta/maida/suzi, Lifebuoy Toilet Soap, Sunsilk Shampoo, ACI Pure Salt, and Dove.
Speaking at the event, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said the awards are not only felicitating the success of the companies. “It is also recognising the achievements and the achievers of Bangladesh.”
Diptanshu Ray, market leader for Southeast Asia at Nielsen, said local companies and brands have grown over the years and that is the significant part of this market right now.
He said this year there are eight local brands on the top of the chart, up from four in 2016 and five in 2017.
The survey covered all the divisions in the country as well as both the rural and urban areas, he said. Shariful Islam, founder and managing director of Bangladesh Brand Forum, said 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.”
Launched in 2008, the Best Brand Award is held every year to honour the top brands.