Samsung, WhatsApp, Google top ten most influential brands in Saudi Arabia: Survey

Tech giants Samsung, WhatsApp and Google have all been ranked as the five most influential brands in Saudi Arabia, according to a survey by market research company Ipsos.

Its ‘Most Influential Brands in Saudi Arabia – 2020’ survey, conducted for the third time in the Kingdom, measured consumer perceptions towards 120 leading national, regional and global brands in terms of their influence on people. Ipsos surveyed sectors including financial services, telecommunications, retail, food and beverage, automotive, technology, and fashion, among others.

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The selected brands were studied in-depth based on a number of dimensions that include trustworthiness, leadership, presence, leading edge, and this year, the impact of COVID-19.

Samsung took the top spot, with messenging app WhatsApp and Google taking the second and third spot respectively.

YouTube and local brand Saudi Telecom Company (STC) rounded off the top five. Followed by Saudi dairy company Almarai, Apple, Facebook, Saudi’s Al Rajhi Bank and online shopping giant Noon, the top 10 was dominated with technology a telecom services companies.

The survey results show that these brands were consistently able to deliver something new to the market which drove their influence.

“Brands play a huge role in our lives and around the globe - and that influence is growing, accelerated by the rise of social networking,” said Mohammed Minawi, CCO of MENA brands for Ipsos, in the report. “From streamlining our daily routines to improving our wellbeing, brands are transforming the communities and societies we live in."

“The MIB (Most Influential Brand) study measures and ranks today’s most influential brands in KSA and around the world. We consider why they are leading, how they impact us and what makes them influential - essential insights that apply to any business, large or small."

The survey, which quizzed 1,200 residents across the Kingdom, found presence and trustworthiness were the biggest drivers of brand influence for the brands evaluated in Saudi Arabia, followed by leadership and leading edge.

The influence of COVID-19 has had little impact overall, the report found.

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