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The Best Omani brands category has been one of the most keenly contested one over the years. The category has the distinction of being one of the few where more brands were recalled in 2007 compared to last year. Compared to the unaided recall of 29 brands in 2006, in this year’s survey respondents picked 33 home-grown brands. The difference in scores between various brands is small, reflecting the intensity of competition. Surprisingly, some regional brands like Al Marai are recalled as Omani brands, probably because of their widespread presence and usage. But exceptions apart, the growing prominence of local products gives a ring of credibility to the slogan, ‘Omani brands – our first choice.’
Under the radar
Few institutions, with the exception of Oman Cables, make it to the top order, probably because customers perceive them as companies rather than brands. May be it is time for the spin doctors to take a closer look at the marketing handbook of companies like Chips Oman or Al Mudhish.
Flag bearer
The heightened pace of construction activity in the sultanate seems to have had a rub-off effect on Oman Cables. The manufacturer of power cables breaks into the top three – quite a feat for an industrial product. Oman Cables’ ‘manufactured locally, respected globally’ ad campaign seems to have struck a chord with customers. The campaign is notable as it reflects a change in the mindset of the industrial sector. Oman Cables is changing from being a faceless commodity manufacturer to one which sells branded products. Are Al Jazeera Steel Mills and Al Khaleej Polypropylene listening?
Small is beautiful
All good things in life come in small helpings the adage seems apt for customer preferences. Chips, milk, washing powder, biscuits, cooking oil and dates outperform institutions like banks and airline companies on the charts.
Cracking the customer code may be a tough ask but we may hazard a few explanations. People seem to connect better to products that they consume or use in households. The frequency of purchase also seems to have a bearing on brand recall. So Sohar Milk or Chips Oman, which is picked up almost every other day, is way up in the lineup
Customer insights
The troika of Nabil, Bahar and Zain which dominated the charts for years has given way to newer brands. The success of Chips Oman is particularly significant. A product of Al Juffair Food Industries, the brand retails only in chilli-flavoured potato chips. The success of Chips Oman goes against the marketing wisdom of saturating shop shelves with brand extensions like Lays or Pringle. Chips Oman shows that a good product at a reasonable price is sure to win customer loyalty irrespective of its placement on a shop rack. |
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