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Almost every major multinational company, from those who sell chocolate to those selling cars or computers, has a presence in the market here. This year’s top three remains the same as last year, but thereafter there is a shift. Nokia and Coca-Cola have moved into fourth and fifth positions this year. There is also no guarantee that multinational companies with established credentials and multi-million dollar advertsing and marketing war chests can expect to repeat their magic in smaller markets like the sultanate, where local culture plays a big role in consumer preferences.
Out of favour
Despite a reasonably strong presence in the market here, some international behemoths like Colgate, McDonald’s and Dell feature in the bottom half. Household names like Cadbury and P&G that were ranked 11 and 26 respectively, in last year’s survey do not figure this time around. Giordano’s fate has been equally cruel. The apparel brand, which made it to the list at No 14 last year, has been placed at the bottom of the pile at No 36 in 2006.
Women beg to differ
The popular adage ‘Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus’ holds absolutely true in the case of the Best International Brands category. The top three brands for women are completely different from the overall toppers. The top three brands that are dear to the fairer sex are Christian Dior, Al Marai and Nokia. Some of the names that simply do not figure on their radar include Nike, Dell and Shell.
Market preference
What applies to toppers from individual segments like TVs and watches do not necessarily apply to the International Brands category. For instance, Rolex which figures as the top wristwatch brand ranks 18th. Panasonic and Samsung, which have fared better than Toshiba and LG in the television category are ranked much lower than LG. The Korean brand is at No 10 in this category, followed by Toshiba at 12, while Panasonic and Samsung follow at No 13 and 14 respectively. The same goes for cars. BMW, which is ranked ahead of Mercedes in the car category, is ranked number nine in this category, three places below Mercedes which comes in at number six. |
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