55 companies earn Superbrands title in UAE

Winners chosen from a list of more than 1,500 top brands in UAE

Dubai: At least 55 out of more than 1,500 leading brands in the UAE have been declared 'Superbrands' by an independent body that acknowledges and rewards companies for following the highest standards of branding.

The brands, many of them are home grown and also include internationally recognised names in different industries, from banking and finance to manufacturing, hospitality, fashion and electronics, have been reviewed by 2,500 senior managers and marketing professionals in the country.

Out of the 1,500 applications received by the Brand Council, only 55 made it to the cut by scoring more than 80 per cent of the total possible mark. They were honoured during a ceremony in Dubai recently and are now featured in a coffee table book, which will serve as a reminder of what brand names resonate well with consumers in the UAE.

UAE-based Eros Group, which operates 33 retail stores and has eight service centres in the country, takes the reign as the most-loved brand by winning the “brand of the year” award for 2015.

Several other brands, including Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) and RAK Ceramics, have been feted with the Superbrands title for several years in a row.

This year's 55 winning brands are considered trusted names in the local marketplace who make their customers feel comfortable and actually deliver what they promise. The accolade, however, doesn’t mean the brands have the biggest market share.

“Becoming a Superbrand has nothing to do with market share. Some Superbrands may only be second or third in share. It has everything to do with the affection that the brand engenders in its customers,” Mike English, director, Superbrands Middle East, told Gulf News.

“Branding is all about emotion and the special relationship we all have with the brands we choose to buy.”

Below is the complete list of Superbrands:

1aafaq Islamic Finance

2ADNOC Distribution

3Aeropostale

4African + Eastern

5Al Ain Dairy

6Al Ansari Exchange

7Al Rawdah

8Al Rostamani Group

9Aldo

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