Company Announcement - The 17th Annual Sunday Times Top Brands Awards took place yesterday at the luxurious Maslow Hotel Ballroom in Sandton. The awards are held in honour of brands rated by users and non-users in the Business and Consumer sector. The research and fieldwork is conducted by TNS. Well-known local comedian, Nik Rabinowitz hosted the ceremony. KOO reclaimed the Overall Favourite Brand Award since their previous win in 2012, making this their third win in the category in the past five years. 

Telecommunications provider Vodacom were the biggest winners of the day, taking first prize in both the Business and Consumer categories for telecoms and the first to win the Grand Prix for Overall Favourite Brand in the Business category, walking away with no less than three awards.

“The economic climate has been tough and I’m sure marketers have been under pressure to get both products as services to their clients and ensure business continuity. The Top Brands survey has become a coveted tool for marketers and we take pride in being able to provide this useful research to the industry.” says Trevor Ormerod, GM: Group Sales and Marketing at Times Media Limited.

Eskom walked away with the ‘Green’ Grand Prix Award for preserving the environment and harnessing the country’s natural resources, based on spontaneous awareness among consumers.  Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper loyalty programme took top honours. Old Mutual recorded an uninterrupted 12 wins in the Consumer Long Term Insurance category.  Avis has maintained its premium position since 2004 in the Business Car Hire category.  Engen in the Petrol Station category maintains its fifth consecutive year victory among Consumers. Standard Bank is now in its third year in first position in the Retail Banks Consumer category.

Maintaining the lead from last year were the following favourite brands Avon, Johnnie Walker, Nokia, Nike, Tastic, Ricoffy, Spur, Shoprite, Samsung, Mercedes Benz, Clover and Discovery Health. The Robyn Putter Agency of the Year Award went to FCB South Africa for the second year in a row. Not all of the category winners were awarded at the function, a complete list of winners will be published in the Top Brands supplement in the 30 August 2015 edition of the Sunday Times.