Kantar BrandZ Emirati and Saudi 2021 Spotlight-Report

1 2 3
W E LCOME INTROD U CTION & THOUGHT R E S O U RC E S

ANALYSIS LEADERSHIP AND
BRAND BUILDING
03 — EMIRATI AND SAUDI BRANDS IN 47 — REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS
THE SPOTLIGHT
07 — OVERVIEW 50 — PERSPECTIVES REPORTS
04 — WHAT IS KANTAR BRANDZ? 24 — IN SEARCH OF SUSTAINED 53 — KANTAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
09 — BUILDING BRAND EQUITY
GROWTH, AMOL GHATE
12 — 4 WAYS TO POWER GROWTH 56 — OUR BRAND EXPERTS
27 — DRIVING BRAND GROWTH WITH
21 — TAKEAWAYS 57 — KANTAR BRANDZ TEAM
A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
MEDIA PLANNING, MANASWITA 59 — KANTAR BRANDZ GLOBAL
SINGH
29 — BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS:

DELIVERING CX AGAINST THE
BRAND PROMISE, SATISH DAVE
32 — REDESIGNING BRANDS FOR

EVOLVING DEFINITIONS OF
VALUE, DINA EL SEHRAWY
36 — REFRAMING THE ECOMMERCE

NARRATIVE, ROHAN D’SOUZA &
WAQAS AHMED
38 — GREENING UP YOUR
INNOVATION, KARAN KAPOOR
41 — INJECT A HEALTHY DOSE OF

OPTIMISM INTO YOUR BRAND
PERSONALITY, ARUNA RAJARAM
44 — THE SECRET TO SUSTAINABLE

BRAND GROWTH, RAJ MITRA, MIT
PAREKH & ANKIT DHINGRA
Welcome
EMIRATI AND SAUDI BRANDS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Shining a light on the forces We are setting aside financial valuations Shifting sands How we can help
and we’re not providing a dollar-based
driving brand growth ranking of the most valuable brands.
When we published our Kantar BrandZ At Kantar, we realise we are living in
Welcome to this spotlight report “Ready. Set. ranking a year ago, many of us hoped that extraordinary times, and we’re here to help
What we are doing is shining a light on how COVID-19 was already in retreat and things you understand how to manage the present
Grow.” into how brands in Saudi Arabia and consumer sentiment towards brands has
the United Arab Emirates are faring. would quickly get back to normal. The reality and plan for growth in the future.
changed between 2020 and 2021, providing turned out to be rather different, and few of
insight into how people feel coming out of a us think we’ll ever be going back to how
This year, our research and report take a Our experienced local team has a deep
difficult year, and how winning brands have things were.
slightly different approach to usual, which understanding of how people are reacting to
adapted.
seems befitting of the extraordinary times ongoing events; we have our fingers on the
we’ve been living in. Yes, people are returning to travel, office life, pulse of commerce and on the evolving
By taking a deep dive into why some learning, shopping and leisure activities in habits of connected, concerned consumers.
brands have positively thrived in the past the physical world to satisfy that deep
Kantar BrandZ rankings are usually based year while others have declined and most
on two key contributors to brand value: human need for real-world interaction. But We can help you understand what’s working
have simply managed to tread water, we many of our newly acquired digital habits
financial value and brand contribution. have garnered rich learnings into what and what’s not in the market today. And,
will stick – and that’s because they’ve proved crucially, we can help explain why.
drives brand equity, and how that looks in convenient and efficient. The new normal
Financial value is the proportion of the total the real world.
dollar-value of the parent company that will be a blending of both worlds, and the If you’re wondering about questions like
can be attributed to the brand in question, brands that thrive will be those providing a these, please reach out to any of the Kantar
We see that, even in these difficult times, seamless experience straddling the two.
considering both its current and future one in 10 brands has been able to grow its professionals listed in the Resources section
performance. Brand contribution quantifies relationship with consumers. And they have of this report, or feel free to connect with me
the proportion of this financial value that is In this report, we look at how brands in this directly.
done so by increasing and amplifying what region have fashioned their own success –
directly driven by a brand’s equity. This is we at Kantar BrandZ call their Meaningful
the ability of the brand to deliver value to brands in sectors as diverse as dairy produce
Difference. Be well, stay safe, and stay connected.
the company by predisposing consumers to and ecommerce.
choose the brand over others or to pay more Some have done that by tapping into new,
for it, based purely on perceptions. We also present a collection of excellent Amol Ghate
emerging needs with timely innovations, Thought Leadership essays from some of our
Together, these two factors give us a dollar riding the wave of technology adoption in Managing Director,
figure for the brand value of each brand we experts at Kantar in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, North Africa
making consumers’ lives easy. Others have UAE.
assess. upped their game by adding value to their & Pakistan (MENAP)
brands. And importantly, they have also Insights Division
This year, we’re looking at more than 250 ensured they are communicating effectively Kantar
brands through the lens of equity and with their consumers. a m ol . g h a t e @ k a n t a r. c om
consumer perceptions alone.
3
Welcome
WHAT IS ?
Kantar BrandZ ranks the best This brand valuation series began in
brands in the world... and shows you 1998 to help researchers, planners
how to become one of them. and strategists better understand the
brands they worked on. Our reports
It is the world’s largest, consumer- rank, analyse and honour the world’s
focused source of brand equity insight, top brands.
which also powers our proprietary
brand valuation methodology. Kantar BrandZ has become a
global standard brand value
Kantar BrandZ brings you industry- ecosystem, featuring our flagship
leading brand valuations, along Global Most Valuable Brands
with research from the world’s ranking and report. It also features
most extensive brand equity study: country and regional rankings
Almost 4 million consumer interviews across six continents, and world-
covering 18,500 brands across 512 class thought leadership on building
categories in 51 markets. strong brands.
4
Welcome
WHAT CAN D O FO R YO U?
Kantar BrandZ research data is

uniquely linked to financial
outcomes. Our analysis has STRON G
B R ANDS:
repeatedly proven that businesses
that invest in their brands
outperform the market… and that
investing in your brand remains
the most powerful way to grow. DELIVER SUPERIOR
SHAREHOLDER
What’s more, we can show you RETURNS
how. Our data and frameworks
work to create a forensic ARE MORE RESILIENT
portrait of a brand’s strengths,
IN TIMES OF CRISIS
weaknesses and opportunities,
within one or many categories
and markets. RECOVER MORE
QUICKLY
Get essential insight on category
trends and macroeconomic
shifts – and how brands compare
across crucial building blocks of
brand value like Trust, Meaning,
Innovation, Difference, and
Responsibility.
5
INTRODUCTION &
ANALYSIS
07 — OVERVIEW
09 — BUILDING BRAND EQUITY
12 — 4 WAYS TO POWER GROWTH
21 — TAKEAWAYS
Overview
READY FOR TAKEOFF!

WHY THE TIME IS RIGHT TO
ENGINEER BRAND GROWTH
After all that’s happened in the world over the past year, you’d be forgiven for thinking
that simply still being here is a victory in itself.
Indeed, the struggles faced by brands not just in this region but the And the UAE, which took a major hit to tourism, its biggest
world over have caused many businesses to collapse; those that industry, during 2020, is getting back on its feet. Visitors are
couldn’t get their supply chains to work on time, those where staff returning and the Dubai Expo has been able to go ahead, albeit a
couldn’t get to work, those that saw demand dry up overnight – or year later than planned, shining a spotlight on the latest
could see demand but were unable to meet it. technology and architecture. Organisers hope to attract 25 million
visitors during the six-month event – the same goal as was set pre-
So, for those brands that are still here, congratulations on making it pandemic.
this far. We hope the worst is now behind us.
The past year has shown what focus and drive can achieve in this
This is a tremendously exciting time for brands. Challenges remain, region: high rates of vaccination, business agility to account for a
of course, and COVID-19 is still with us. But this region offers many sudden consumer preference for ecommerce, and bold targets for
reasons for businesses to be confident that better times are coming. sustainable development.
Opportunities are there to be seized.
Business confidence is buoyant, and there’s strong public
Consider Saudi Arabia, which is pressing on with its ambitious “Saudi confidence that governments will achieve their targets.
2030 Vision” programme of transformation to ready the country for
a post-oil global economy. Development slowed during the depths
of the pandemic but are now gathering pace.
Plans now include The Line, a zero-emissions futuristic business hub

within a new $500 billion megacity, called NEOM, on the Red Sea
coast.
7
Overview
Tough, but not impossible From banking, real estate, airlines and
communication providers to retailers, food
Building a strong, resilient and growing delivery services, skincare, video
brand is a long-term project, to be worked entertainment and dairy products, this
on in good times and bad. study looks at what has set apart those
brands that have succeeded in the past
We are confident that better times lie year from those that have simply stayed
ahead, but one thing we know for sure is afloat. The underlying factors in those
that there will be setbacks, too. A look at brands’ success have little to do with
any share price chart over a period of category; they apply whether your business
decades provides a clear illustration of the is food, phones or furniture.
long-term ups and downs businesses face.
The brands in our study with rising Brand
So, what we aim to do with this analysis is Power over the past year saw their usage
look at what makes good brands great and increase – on average by 1.8 times their
demonstrate how great brands build Power growth rate. The opposite was also
resilience and engineer growth, despite the true: brands with declining Brand Power
challenges they face. saw their usage fall.
In the past year, 7.8% of Saudi and UAE

brands have managed to grow their Brand
Power.
Brand Power Is a measure of consumer

demand for the brand, which gives us a
prediction of the brand’s volume share,
based purely on perceptions, absent of
activation factors.
For this project, Kantar studied over 250

brands from Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
spanning 13 categories. These categories
were selected to reflect the economies of
these countries and the daily lives of people
who live here.
8
Building Brand Equity
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE:

WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE?
There are three core attributes shared by successful, valuable brands

What’s vital to appreciate about Growth brands are more Meaningful, Different
all over the world: Meaning, Difference and Salience.
and Salient than a year ago
Meaning, Difference and Salience is that
The Meaning of a brand can stem from a functional meaning, like 150 +17
getting your hair clean, providing a safe and comfortable car, or your brand needs all three, and ideally,
reliably getting your parcel from A to B in a hurry. There is also
emotional meaning, something that’s less easy for other brands to
all three should be equally strong. 128 +9
122 +8
copy. It’s the way people feel when they engage with your brand –
meeting a less-tangible need – and it’s what helps build lasting When we compare the Emirati and Saudi brands that have increased
relationships. their Brand Power over the past year with those that have stood still
or have seen Power decline, we see that brands’ performance links
closely with their Meaning, Difference and Salience. Average
Difference is what leads a consumer to interrupt their normal (100)
buying habits – to stop and look at a product that catches their eye,
or promises something that others don’t, and providing a rationale Put simply, those brands that have been able to meet consumers’
for a more “instinctive” brand choice. Given that purchase decisions needs and make a positive difference to people’s lives are those that
have flourished. The more they have done this, the greater Power
are increasingly being made in seconds, or fractions of a second,
growth they have achieved.
Meaningful Different Salient
that moment of being noticed can be crucial.
Meaningful Difference is the combination of these two strengths, Success is a function of Meaningful Difference; growth is not hostage How Meaning, Difference and Salience drive Power
to brand size, category or the marketplace.
and quite simply means that a brand stands out in a way that growth
makes a positive difference to people’s lives.
The third part of the brand-building tool is Salience – a way of Power growth % change
amplifying Meaning and Difference that acts as a catalyst for
growth. It is more than being well known; salient brands are those High salience, meaning
3,4 and difference
that spring quickly to mind when a consumer has a need, and feel to
the consumer like the obvious choice.
High salience but low
1,0 meaning and difference
9
The ‘Salience gap’ and how not to fall in
It’s sometimes the case that brands focus too much on Salience
and neglect Meaningful Difference. It’s easy to understand why.
They think fame equates to success. Their thinking is: if only more
people knew about them, they’d sell more.
To some extent that’s true. Brands must be known if they’re to be

chosen. But the danger is that a brand becomes famous with
people unsure what it’s famous for. Or it’s famous for something
that isn’t all that important to enough people.
But brands cannot make up for a lack of Meaning and Difference

by being spectacularly salient. It is essential that brands are
recognised and remembered by consumers, of course, and that
they spring to mind quickly when someone thinks of that category.
But simply being known is not enough; brands must be known for
something that really matters to people. Salience amplifies
Meaning and Difference, but without those attributes, Salience is
next to useless.
When there’s a gap between Meaningful Difference and Salience,

there’s danger ahead for brands. These are brands that are over-
reliant on being well known – the gap is where they risk being
swallowed up.
A brand needs to focus first on its Meaning and Difference, and

then work on Salience to ensure enough people know about how
the brand can improve their lives.
Well-established brands that are highly familiar to consumers tend

to score well for Salience, but unless they adapt to changing
conditions and maintain their Meaning in people’s lives, they are
vulnerable. Salience won’t be enough to save them.
10
STRONG BRANDS
ARE MORE RESILIENT IN
Strong brands generate superior shareholder returns
Kantar BrandZ Portfolios vs S&P 500 vs MSCI World Index (Apr 2006 - Apr 2021)
A CRISIS AND RECOVER

FASTER
Strong brands do far more than win press accolades
and consumer recognition. The value of a brand has
a clear, measurable link with the share price of the
company behind it. Source: Kantar BrandZ, Bloomberg and S&P Capital IQ
Strong brands provide stock market What that means is that $100 invested in
resilience during periods of volatility, 2006 would be worth $215 based on the Recovery rate: Explosive growth:
providing a reliable, positive return on the MSCI World Index growth rate, and $324 % weekly recovery, based on # weeks to regain pre- Additional value growth from pre-COVID-19 peak in
money invested to build brand equity. based on the S&P 500 growth rate. But that COVID-19 peak value after lowest point (March 2020) February 2020 to April 2021 (as % of value in April 2006)
When turbulence drives markets down, $100 invested in the Kantar BrandZ Strong
strong brands decline more slowly, and Brands Portfolio would be worth $463.
when markets recover, strong brands
rebound more quickly. Strong brands This decade’s unprecedented COVID-19 stock
also turbocharge gains during periods of market swings provided extreme conditions 6.7% 134.8%
sustained economic growth. to test the value of strong brands. During
the five weeks from February 14 to March
Over the 16 years in which we have been 20, when the MSCI World Index dropped
tracking the world’s strongest brands, 73% and the S&P 500 dropped 51%, the
3.4%
the companies behind the top-ranking BrandZ Strong Brands Portfolio dipped just 3.0% % per week 62.1%
brands have far outperformed stock 42%. Afterward, the BrandZ Strong Brands recovery
market benchmarks. The value of the Portfolio recovered its value just 15 weeks 37.2%
Kantar BrandZ Strong Brands Portfolio after the COVID-19 crash in March 2020 –
increased 363% between April 2006 and twice as fast as the general stock market
April 2021, outperforming both the S&P indices. And then the Strong Brands
500 and the MSCI World Index. (The MSCI Portfolio kept on growing, gaining an
MSCI S&P 500 STRONG BRANDS MSCI S&P 500 STRONG BRANDS
World Index is a weighted index of global additional +135% in value over their pre-
World Index Index Portfolio World Index Index Portfolio
stocks.) pandemic peak through April 2021.
11
4 Ways to Power Growth
4 WAYS TO
POWER BRAND
AND BUSINESS
1
CONVENIENCE
2
INNOVATION VALUE COMMUNICATION
GROWTH
Brands fitting into everyday lives Meaningful innovation to drive Value is more important than Communication is essential for
brand growth price brand building
12
Kantar BrandZ analysts have examined the attributes shared by growing brands
across multiple categories. They have identified four key drivers of power growth
in this region.
These four growth levers are what set growth brands apart from the rest, and they are: convenience, innovation, value and
communication. We’ll explain how each one works and show what these attributes look like with real-world examples from our region.
1.
CONVENIENCE
A brand that shines when it comes to Convenience isn’t just the domain of Brands seen as offering great convenience
convenience is one that fits seamlessly into logistics businesses and fast-food brands. include retail names that have built their
people’s lives. It’s an easy choice to make Brands don’t have to be everywhere, but business in bricks and mortar but pivoted Ecommerce brands have made themselves an indispensable
because it’s in the right place, at the right they must be ready when a consumer quickly to meet new expectations, as well part of life
time, with the very thing someone needs or need arises. A bank that provides in- as those born digital. Carrefour, for
wants. person service as well as an intuitive app instance, has over 50 years’ heritage in
can be a great convenience brand; as can hypermarkets, but thanks to its strong
A convenient brand offers a great a drinks brand that has the right pack and convenient online offering in this
experience, whether that’s online or offline sizes and flavours to suit every thirsty region, it has enjoyed significant growth 103 Fit well into everyday life
– or possibly both online and offline at occasion. in the online retail space. 117
once. It offers a range of products and
services that provide a good match with That said, those brands that have been
what people are looking for, and what it able to respond to the sudden and 105 Make people's lives better
offers is well designed for easy and significant jump in demand for 115
enjoyable use. ecommerce over the past year have seen
especially strong growth. Malls are much
Emirati and Saudi brands that have grown loved in this region, but during 2020, 103 Shaking things up
their Brand Power in the past year have ecommerce sales in Saudi Arabia shot up 115
grown perceptions of convenience by four by 34%, and soared by 38% in the UAE.
index points. Declining brands have seen
their perceptions of convenience fall by an One-third of all growth brands in Saudi 104 Will gain importance in the
average of six index points. The link Arabia and the UAE this year are 116 future
between convenience and Power growth is ecommerce brands. They are perceived
clear. by consumers as outperforming even
other strong-growth brands when it
comes to fitting well into everyday life,
Other categories' growth brands Ecommerce growth brands
making people’s lives better and “shaking
things up”. Consumers also consider these
to be brands that will become more
important in future.
13
CASE IN POINT Also answering the call for convenience is Talabat,

another growth brand this year. The business started
operating in Saudi Arabia in 2010 and in the UAE two
In an ecommerce landscape led by Amazon, which years later; it is now the region’s largest online food
gained a strong foothold in the region by acquiring local ordering service.
success story Souq, a strong challenger brand, has
rapidly gained traction by adapting to consumers’ In 2020, Talabat invested heavily in developing Talabat
changing needs. Mart, a grocery delivery service promising drop-off
within 30 minutes.
Noon, with its extensive marketplace of goods, is widely
seen by consumers as fitting well into everyday life and Such speedy service is unmatched in these markets and
being a brand that will grow in importance. proved a welcome way of keeping consumers safe
during the pandemic because they didn’t need to go out
Noon has a strong loyalty programme, Noon VIP, to shop. Talabat has also helped develop cloud kitchens
offering free next-day delivery and priority customer for online-only restaurants.
support, and offers delivery within 90 minutes through
its new Noon Insta grocery service, launched during the Kantar BrandZ data shows Talabat leads among
pandemic. ecommerce brands for “shaking things up” and offering
a smooth online/mobile service. It has redefined
While Amazon still leads Noon on sales, Noon’s Power consumer expectations of convenience, speed and
score is rising, and it is closing the gap in market share consistency of service.
between itself and Amazon.
14
2.
INNOVATION
Innovation must be more than simply When brands innovate in a meaningful
“something new”. Novelty has its place, but way, they see stronger growth. Kantar
How meaningful innovation fuels Power Share growth
to have a lasting impact on consumers’ BrandZ analysis shows meaningful
perceptions of a brand, innovation must be innovation leads to higher Power Share.
meaningful. It must be something new that This is a measure of consumer demand for
is relevant and helps improve people’s lives. the brand, which gives us a prediction of
the brand’s volume share, based purely on
Meaningful innovation was at the heart of people’s perceptions , irrespective of
Brand Power growth in 2020-21. Middle marketing activation factors.
Eastern companies are good at marrying
global innovations with local knowledge Innovation is something that tends to be
and experience to create new markets and strongly associated with tech-related
2.0%
substantial value — and then attracting brands, but it doesn’t have to be.
global investment to the region. Innovation can be a new pack format, for
instance, or an improved recipe in the case
There is a clear correlation
between innovation and
of food and drink brands. For service
brands, it’s not just a bigger or faster
service that counts as innovation; it could
0.6%
success. Emirati and Saudi be the ability to get excellent customer
brands that have grown their service around the clock, or flexible
Brand Power in the past year contract terms so people can adapt what
they buy as their needs change.
have grown perceptions of
innovation by five index points.
Declining brands have seen HIGH MEANING LOW MEANING
their perceptions of innovation HIGH INNOVATION HIGH INNOVATION
fall by an average of three index
points.
15
CASE IN POINT
The Saudi telecommunications giant STC has earned a Careem is another brand powering growth through
reputation for innovation over many years and keeps on meaningful innovation. Originally developed as a ride-
innovating in ways that make life easier for customers hailing app, Careem has expanded to become a one-
and boost the brand’s Power in the process. STC this stop-shop that handles food and drink deliveries, bus
year has an innovation index score of 127, which rides and anything else that involves reliably and
compares to 100 for the average of all brands in these comfortably getting people and products from A to B.
markets. It has a meaningful index score of 142 – again,
well above average. The business was acquired by Uber in early 2020 and
looks to other categories for inspiration in providing the
In addition to expanding its extensive 5G network, and most seamless user experience possible.
creating the “stc pay” digital wallet, STC’s recent
innovations include the launch of STC’s Internet of
Things platform, allowing users to control their homes
through their phone. The brand has also created a
gaming and e-sport platform, called stcplay, which
launched to meet the rising interest in gaming during
the pandemic.
16
3.
VALUE
Value is so often misunderstood as being In some cases, brands went from being
the same thing as “cheap”. Sometimes perceived as expensive a year ago to now BRANDS DON’T NEED TO
inexpensive brands represent good value being seen as a good value brand – without
for money; often they don’t. Similarly, any change in price. Amazon Prime, for
REDUCE PRICES OR ENTER THE
consumers can feel that the most expensive example, was seen as a high-priced service DISCOUNTING DEATH SPIRAL
option in a category is the best value choice a year ago. Now, it is seen as a brand that FAIR PRICE
because they are confident that the price justifies its premium, thanks to a focus in its
they are paying is justified. communications on all the services that Delivering value drives brand growth
Prime membership provides, from speedy 2020 - 2021 114
This distinction between price and value is delivery to music streaming and original
important because it can save brands from video content. It costs the same as it did
entering a death spiral of discounting. In before, but now feels “worth it”.
fact, being a great value brand often
means being clear about why a brand Brands’ pricing strategies need to match
charges a premium and making it feel like the perceptions consumers have of what’s 111 111
a great deal. being provided. Better value can come PERCEIVED PRICE
from better offerings and stronger
In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, communication rather than lower prices.
109
the brands that have grown
their Brand Power in the past
year are those that have seen 103 104
an uplift in perceptions of fair 100 100
pricing. In some cases, they are
more expensive than the
competition but people believe Growth Declining Growth Declining
any extra cost is worth it.
17
CASE IN POINT
HungerStation is a fast-growing express delivery service While HungerStation is not the cheapest express delivery
operating in more than 80 cities in Saudi Arabia and service, it is the market leader. That’s because the
Bahrain. Its list of partners grows daily, and includes over experience it provides and the bond users feel with the
10,000 restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies and brand makes the price feel like good value for money. It’s
florists. It was the first brand in Saudi Arabia to offer this seen as both accessible and aspirational. It’s worth it.
kind of service, and now delivers more than 300,000
orders a day.
The brand’s Fazaa personal shopping services and Quick

Market grocery delivery option have helped
HungerStation further embed itself in people’s lives at a
time when, because of the pandemic, deliveries have
shifted from being a luxury to a necessity.
18
4.
COMMUNICATION
Strong communications are an essential But brands need to do more than simply
part of brand building. If a consumer has shout louder than everyone else. Point taken – how smart communications fuel brand equity
never heard of your brand and knows Communication is much more than the
nothing about it, they’re unlikely to reach broadcasting of a message and turning up
for it at the moment they make a purchase the volume; it’s about landing a
decision. memorable message that’s relevant both 12 years’ brand value growth across the same 87 brands
to the brand and to consumers. A brand
A brand’s share of voice is usually indicative with communication does more than get its
of its market share, and when share of message out. It creates excitement and 196%
voice is higher than market share, growth is engages consumers in conversation
usually the result. through great creative content delivered on
the right media channels.
In Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
When we analyse brands featuring in the
the brands that have grown
their Power over the past year
Kantar BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable 74%
Global Brands ranking, it is clear that those
are those that are three index brands investing in high visibility and a 47%
points ahead of average on the powerful communications message are
those that grow in value. Over a 12-year
Kantar BrandZ measure of period, the 87 brands that were valued
communication; the brands both at the beginning and the end of that BOTTOM MIDDLE TOP
with declining Power saw their timeframe had results that strongly THIRD THIRD THIRD
communication index scores dip correlated with their performance on
communications.
over the year, by five points.
19
CASE IN POINT
The food and beverage brand Almarai serves as a But Almarai’s success came not just as a result of raising
powerful example of the growth that’s possible when its voice. The brand had something to say that was
communication, backed by innovation, is done well. relevant to consumers’ lives and delivered its messages
in memorable ways. It created buzz, not just noise,
The brand was already widely known and understood – about innovative new products such as Greek drinking
Almarai was among the region’s top investors in yoghurt, packaged hummus and Farm Select 100%
advertising in 2019. In 2020, the brand further increased Premium Fresh Juice.
its investments and focused on media efficiency as part
of its communication strategy.
Almarai’s increased share of voice came at a time when

the pandemic led many brands to cut back on their
investment, so the impact was even greater than it
might have been. Almarai’s Power Share grew from 19%
in 2020 to 23% in 2021.
20
Takeaways
7 TOP
TAKEAWAYS FOR
MARKETERS
1
PREPARE FOR
2
MEANING
3
BR ANDS ARE
4
LIFE WAS
KNOCKS, PL AN MAT TERS – WE MASTERS OF MEANT TO BE
FOR GROWTH REALLY MEAN IT THEIR OWN EASY
SUCCESS (OR
It’s said that nothing is certain other than In good times and bad, the fundamental We don’t mean easy for brands, but as
death and taxes. We beg to differ. We are
certain that there will be big shocks in
elements of a successful, growing brand
are the same. Brands need to be clearly
FAILURE) simple and stress-free as possible for
consumers. If a brand is to become an
store for businesses in the years ahead – differentiated in consumers’ minds from indispensable part of someone’s life it
we just don’t know what and when they’ll everything else that’s available, and their Meaningful Difference doesn’t come must offer just the right thing, at just the
be. Stock market collapses, recessions, points of difference need to be positive about by happy accident. Nor does it right time, on just the right terms. That
geo-political tensions and even (or as we say at Kantar BrandZ, happen more easily for brands in some means hassle-free physical and online
pandemics all happen cyclically. Most meaningful). People need to believe that categories than it does for others. If you experiences that work together for the
brands take a knock when these things your brand is special, and special in a way think brands in sexy or growing categories benefit of the consumer, ensuring the
happen, but the strongest have their fall that will benefit them. That point of have it better, think again. The same goes product range adapts to changing
cushioned by the strength of their position difference could be a very practical one – for young brands versus old; it’s true that consumer demands, and having the
in the market and their relationship with like it makes your laundry smell fresher or longevity often signals stability to presence of an experienced restaurant
consumers. And those that have invested keeps your family safer on the road. Or it consumers, and new brands tend to be waiter – anticipating needs and quickly
in brand and have honed their ability to could be an emotional point of difference seen as more exciting, but at Kantar responding to requests, without ever
be agile are able to grow – even in the eye that only your brand can offer. Consider BrandZ, we’ve seen enough brands come hovering or hassling. Convenience is vital
of a storm. In more leafy parts of the this: there are a great many soft drink and go to know that category and age because no matter how much someone
world, it’s received wisdom that the brands that could quench your thirst on a are only incidental to their growth or loves a brand for other reasons, if buying
second-best time to plant a tree is now; hot day, but the one you choose has as demise. We have also identified four key or using that brand is perceived as being
the best time was 20 years ago. So, get much to do with how it makes you feel as variables that definitely affect meaningful even slightly difficult (and in today’s world
planting! One day you will be glad of the it does about the taste. Likewise, the difference and, in turn, brand growth. that could mean it requires a couple of
shade. smartphone you choose or the car brand They are: convenience, innovation, value extra clicks on a smartphone) it will be
you’d love to own has as much to do with and communication. Hone them all, and overlooked in favour of something easier.
the feeling it creates for you as the never imagine you’ve done enough.
technical specification. Meaningful
Difference is what fuels brands’ success.
21
Takeaways
7 TOP
TAKEAWAYS FOR
5
SHOW
6
A BARGAIN IS IN
7
HAVE AN
MARKETERS EVERYONE HOW
SMART YOU
THE EYE OF THE
BEHOLDER
UNFORGET TABLE
TUNE AND SING
REALLY ARE As Warren Buffett famously said: “Price is
IT SWEETLY
what you pay, value is what you get.”
Innovation is more than just a way not to Consumers with incomes at all levels have This is all about brands achieving the right
get stuck in the developmental dark ages a keen eye for a bargain, but that’s very share of voice – and matching it with the
– and it’s much more than keeping up rarely the least-expensive option. While right tone of voice. Great communication
with what everyone else in a category is shoppers are checking prices, what is compelling but it can be as quiet as a
doing. Kantar BrandZ research into they’re really weighing up is value – does whisper. Just as value isn’t about being
innovation shows that those brands the price tag seem fair for what’s being the cheapest, strong communication isn’t
perceived by consumers as being most offered in exchange? If a brand offers all about shouting the loudest. By all
innovative are those that seize the something unique, desirable and means be vocal. Have something to say
initiative and do something that no one convenient, many people will be prepared and shout it from the rooftops – then
else is doing – they lead the way and to pay a premium for it, and even at a listen carefully to what comes back. Look
shake things up. They’re also bold enough premium price that will feel like a great at communications in the more day-to-
to break out of their category, value deal. day sense, rather than seeing it only as
understanding that human beings don’t traditional advertising, which was all one-
have category needs, they have lives. But way traffic. Spark conversations and be
a word of caution: there’s being clever, part of them. Be daring enough to let
and then there’s being really smart. consumers’ voices be heard publicly.
Clever brands come up with new features
and services. The truly smart ones dismiss
the ideas that have novelty factor but not
much else, and pursue those that actually
help improve consumers’ lives. And the
best news is that consumers love brands
they see as innovative – and this love
keeps brands going in the periods
between innovations.
22
THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP AND
BRAND BUILDING
24 — IN SEARCH OF SUSTAINED
GROWTH, AMOL GHATE
27 — DRIVING BRAND GROWTH WITH

A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH
TO MEDIA PLANNING,
MANASWITA SINGH
29 — BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS:

BRAND PROMISE, SATISH DAVE
32 — REDESIGNING BRANDS FOR

EVOLVING DEFINITIONS OF
VALUE, DINA EL SEHRAWY
36 — REFRAMING THE ECOMMERCE

NARRATIVE, ROHAN D’SOUZA &
WAQAS AHMED
38 — GREENING UP YOUR
INNOVATION, KARAN KAPOOR
41 — INJECT A HEALTHY DOSE OF

OPTIMISM INTO YOUR BRAND
PERSONALITY, ARUNA
RAJARAM
44 — THE SECRET TO SUSTAINABLE

BRAND GROWTH, RAJ MITRA,
MIT PAREKH & ANKIT DHINGRA
Thought Leadership and Brand Building
Amol Ghate
Managing Director, MENAP
Insights Division, Kantar
amol.ghate@kantar.com
Sustained growth is hard. Our analysis of the Kantar BrandZ database reveals that
less than 1 in 20 brands managed to grow and sustain growth over the last three
years. However, we have also seen that while growth is hard, brands that have
invested in brand building have grown not only in good times but also in bad. In fact,
the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands value grew by 6%, even in a year as
difficult as 2020, and as the economy recovered in 2021, that growth skyrocketed
I N S E A RC H O F even further, with a phenomenal 42% increase.
SU STA INED GROW TH The question that naturally springs to mind is what should brands
do to ensure they don’t just grow in the short term but also sustain
that growth in the long term. We have seen that brands that have
grown consistently have created meaningful difference, which they
have amplified to a larger audience by finding a more competitive
strategy that they have communicated effectively.
Brands also need to watch for the “Salience gap” – a

discrepancy between how well the brand is known, and how
meaningfully different it is perceived to be. Brands with a
negative Salience gap are currently much better known than
they are Meaningfully Different. They have excess Salience that
they aren’t “using” effectively enough to drive sales conversions,
owing to a lack of appeal. The trick, for these brands, will be
finding ways to rebuild perceptions of Meaningful Difference.
Kantar BrandZ brings you industry-leading brand valuation,
combined with research from the world’s largest and most extensive
brand equity study.
24
Sharpen your brand’s double-

Stable/declining edged innovation sword…
Growing
NEW Brands that drive innovation end up
117
115 growing in the long term as they ensure
they grow their difference. However, they
112
110 need to keep in mind that innovation is a
108 double-edged sword: innovation needs to
105 be meaningful, and consumers should be
able to clearly see how it makes a
difference in their lives. Innovation therefore
needs to be routed in a consumer need.
Just think of how Uber has made
Fair prices Innovation commuting easier, Airbnb has ensured
people have more authentic experiences
while traveling, and Dollar Shave Club has
Average Brand =100 made shaving cheaper and more
Source: Kantar BrandZ
convenient.
Differentiation also allows for a brand to

Stable/declining
charge more or justify a premium, because
Growing consumers feel that they are getting good
NEW 117 value or their money’s worth. iPhone and
115 115 Nike consumers willingly pay a premium
112 112 over other brands because they perceive
110 the product to be associated with better
108 109 quality. This in turn allows the brands to
105 generate stronger returns, which can
further fuel investment in future innovations
and communications, creating a cycle of
growth.
Fair prices Innovation Experience Getting the experience right also helps
brands create stronger meaning and
Average Brand =100
difference, and thereby grow. On-demand,
Source: Kantar BrandZ omnichannel commerce has fully arrived
and with it has come a new set of consumer
experience “table stakes” that brands must
meet if they want to achieve parity with
their category competitors. This means
providing a superior shopping and service
experience across all touchpoints, while also
maximising convenience so that the brand’s
well-designed offerings fit seamlessly into
consumers’ everyday lives.
25
The power of punching above your weight on

communication awareness
Once put into practice, brands need to talk about their meaningful
difference and amplify this in their communication, to ensure the
brand and product are salient when the time comes for people to
buy them. That’s why advertising plays such an important role in
generating profitable brand growth. Brands that punch above their
weight on communication awareness as compared to their market
share are more likely to see an increase in market share.
As the strongest, most successful brands are those that are meaningful,
different, and salient, brands need to first ensure they are perceived as
different, as that’s what gives you the ability to command a premium.
Next, ensure that difference is perceived as meaningful, as this ensures
your brand will appeal to a wider audience. The final step is to shout out
loud about that meaningful difference, so that more people know
about you and therefore buy your brand. Simple as that.
26
Manaswita Singh
Executive Director
manaswita.singh@kantar.com
Brands are operating in an exciting media environment that’s more dynamic than
ever before. To some extent, all marketers are feeling some form of pressure,
confronted with the need to pivot faster and strive for greater efficiency and impact
THE DIGITAL DILEMMA: in their media and creative strategies, in an always-on, competitive landscape.
DRIVING BR AND GROW TH WITH The change in our media landscape has been significant with the THERE’S NO SINGLE RECIPE THAT
A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO exponential rise of digital touchpoints. Digital media consumption has
been further fuelled by the pandemic. In MENA, digital media will PROVIDES THE ANSWERS TO ALL
THESE QUESTIONS.
account for $1.21 billion of advertising in 2021 onwards, with GroupM
MEDIA PL ANNING projecting this share of media spend to reach 45.6% by 2022. As
consumers use more and more connected personal devices to
organise, curate and discover media, so the opportunities to reach
them through advertising explodes. It’s from this that the digital Digital has evolved from being a complementary platform to a
dilemma for brands arises: where should I spend? How can I ensure mainstream channel, thus, the planning outlook needs to become
maximum engagement via digital? Should I spend all my money on more holistic, by understanding the role that each media plays
digital? What about offline media, how much should I allocate? Which and how can that be utilised effectively.
platforms are best suited to give the most effective media impact?
While there are no silver bullets, we can still learn a lot from
analysing multimedia campaigns. There are four ways to optimise
your brand’s media effectiveness.
Navigate media decisions to drive brand growth. Understand the
art and science of media success with a complete picture of
campaign effectiveness across all channels and devices via
Kantar’s media solutions.
27
1. 2. 3. 4.
Define a goal Don’t put all your marketing eggs in Account for media synergies while Consider consumer receptivity
one media basket planning
The fact that no single campaign Receptivity is when and where people
structure achieves good performance on While many campaigns prefer a strategy We define synergy as campaign effects are most open to your message. This is
every metric implies that goal-specific with a few media being dominant, the attributed to exposure to ads in more particularly important in the digital
campaigns are essential for optimal power of multimedia campaigns is than one channel, as multimedia space where consumers expect to be in
effectiveness. evident. The Advertising Research resonance and magnification effects are control of the content they see.
Foundation’s study on ROI of over 5,000 real and worth planning for. Digital is the
46% campaigns for 1,000 brands across 41
markets revealed that for every dollar you
most effective TV complement. Globally,
34% of campaign performance comes In conclusion
spend, you get 35 cents more from truly
from synergy effects, which has gone up
multimedia campaigns than on
Campaign’s campaigns relying primarily on one media
over the years with the proliferation of Advertisers face a real dilemma between
objectives channels. We also see differences by increasing relevance and avoiding
channel.
specified countries, with TV driving 40% of intrusiveness. Our Kantar Dimensions
synergistic impact in MENA, vs a global study found 54% of respondents find it
It’s a good idea then to ensure that no
media platform commands more than average of 25%. intrusive to receive advertising based on
50% of your overall spend. TV is more past online activity, so be aware that
likely to be cost-effective at lower share excessive frequency and inaccurate
levels, so brands should aim to balance targeting can turn consumers off and
the scale of impact (TV) with cost- 34% reflect negatively on your brand.
35% effectiveness (digital) and use paid media
of campaign
to enhance and influence the most On the other hand, specific contexts and
impactful non-paid touchpoints. performance formats can make a significant
Campaign’s
comes from difference in how likely people are to pay
objectives not
% of campaigns which are cost synergy effects attention, how they interpret your
specified effective by share of spend message and how they respond to it.
It’s therefore essential to understand the
context of what’s being discussed online
and how it fits with your campaign
Up to 30% 30%- 50% +50%
share of share of share of objectives to avoid joining a
spend spend spend conversation inappropriately and
damaging your brand. Testing theories
can help refine your strategy and ensure
TV 75% 55% 27% you’re getting the most from your media
investment, whatever the media
platform.
Digital 64% 43% 13%
Source: IPA – Marketing in the Era of Accountability Source: Kantar CrossMedia database Source: Kantar CrossMedia database, 801 campaigns 28
Satish Dave
Executive Director
Customer Experience
satish.dave@kantar.com One of the most worrisome trends challenging businesses today is the lack of alignment
between brand promise and what is delivered as the customer experience (CX).
There are three main reasons for this disconnect: The three stages of the buyer lifecycle. Each one helps
determine whether the brand will grow now and for the future:
1. Organisations not thinking through the entire marketing plan,
from assessing customer needs to brand positioning to delivering
great experience – if done properly, this ensures the vision,
mission, brand and CX strategies align well.
EXPOSURE
BRE AKING D OWN THE SILOS:: 2. Lack of alignment between two critical functions in any
organisation – marketing and CX. In many businesses, marketing
is more about “hunting” while CX is about “farming”. This
Influences
future sales

distinction results in differing business objectives and unaligned
KPIs.
BR AND PROMISE 3. Lack of understanding of the CX function, governance, and

structure. Common myths are that CX is a department, CX is
only about touchpoints or customer service. CX is far more
strategic, holistic, multi-functional and multi-disciplinary.
EXPERIENCE ACTIVATION
While marketing is usually focused on the initial stages of Influences Influences
exposure and activation, CX is focused on repeat sales. If these repeat immediate
functions don’t run symbiotically, existing customers run the risk sales sales
of being disappointed when new customers are seen to be
rewarded more for joining the brand than existing customers are
for their loyalty.
Discover how your customer experience is delivering on your

brand promise and how to create powerful connections with your
customers.
29
There seems to be global consensus that while a brand is a promise

made, a great brand is a promise kept. Authentic brands realise that it
is far better to under-promise and over-deliver than it is to over-
promise and under-deliver. Apple is a classic case of the brand promise
and customer experience in alignment as it covers both the existing
users’ experience and non-users’ perceptions of the brand. Apple has a
narrow gap between that brand promise and delivery of experience.
Brands need to have a unique brand positioning, be relevant and

different to competition brands, but there’s more to it than that. If your
brand positioning is only reflected in your marketing communications,
there’s a danger of the experience part falling away. For a brand to be
true to its promise, customers need to feel that promise is kept across
all journeys and touchpoints. The actual experience then reinforces the
brand choice every day, with every interaction.
Consider these two cases: one is a good example of a brand keeping its
promise – with a big positive impact on being meaningful and being
different; two of the three key pillars on which brand equity is
measured. There is a far greater emotive connect as well as perception
of customer-centricity among customers delighted by their experience
with the brand.
30
In the other example, customers who were irritated by their If the brand experience lives up to the brand promise and the
experience had a bad perception of that brand, as there was a customer experience is aligned, existing customers will boost your
lack of emotional connection and that feeling that the brand was business financials in many ways: They stay with your brand and
taking care of the customers’ needs. This is likely to lead the brand this is the first win, as it is far more costly to attract new customers
in a downward spiral because over time, this gap between brand than it is to engage a new base. They are also more receptive to
promise and actual CX will increase customer churn and poor cross-selling and up-selling efforts, and through positive word-of-
word-of-mouth, leading to a declining customer base and lower mouth, they can further reduce the marketing effort needed to
repeat sales. acquire new customers. This is true for brands across all sectors –
whether you are a toothpaste brand promising shiny white teeth, a
shampoo brand promising silky hair, a bank promising speedy
service with a smile, or an airline promising a safe and streamlined
experience – your customers need to experience what you promise.
For this to happen, you need to ensure your marketing and CX
teams need to be aligned, starting with the brand strategy,
translating that into a CX strategy, and then executing the CX
strategy so that all functions in the organisation are responsible for
delivering on the promised customer experience consistently,
across all touchpoints and customer journeys.
31
Dina El Sehrawy Key socio-economic events challenge consumerism existentially. Financial market crises,
Head of Qualitative Research currency devaluations, substantial lifting of subsidies, subsequent inflation – and of course,
a global pandemic. In moments like this, the singular emotion consumers feel is that of
existential vulnerability. Priorities are reorganised. Choices and expenditure are scrutinised.
dina.elsehrawy@kantar.com
Prevailing perceptions of value become distorted. Consequently, many categories
become delisted from baskets. Among any remaining categories, brand loyalties are
often challenged.
In the face of forces majeures, consumers are more sensitive and Undoubtedly, the Middle Eastern consumer is more sceptical than
prone to dichotomous discrimination between needs vs. wants and in the past – adopting a more ‘prudent’ mindset than the
luxury vs. necessity. They agonise to resolve tensions in the space ‘abundance’ mindset of past times. To stretch every dirham, riyal
THE SE ARCH FOR VALUE IN between long-termism and short-termism, e.g., finding pleasure in
life vs. doing the ‘right thing’, indulgence vs. prudence, living well
today vs. buffering for the future, connecting with others vs.
and dinar as far as possible, consumers are more aware of
expenditure, consumption, and wastage. They are adopting,
adapting, and deploying strategies to find, maximise and retain
THE MIDDLE E A ST:

keeping a safe distance, and so on. value. These include reshuffling priorities and trade-offs (often
trans-categorical and non-linear), buying smarter, skimping and
So, how can brands survive the flux, ensuring they are redesigning splurging where it matters most, deferring payment, managing
for evolving definitions of value? Traditionally, this complex and waste, and reducing risk.
REDESIGNING BR ANDS FOR elusive question has been addressed simplistically. A basic and
valid view of value is that consumers seek to maximise benefits or
utility derived from a product or service versus what they pay for it.
But, ultimately, the subjective sense of value is not measured
exclusively in monetary terms. In this realisation lies the opportunity
EVOLVING DEFINITIONS OF VALUE

for brand builders to also build value creatively, without the long-
It is all too easy to confuse the bigger notion of value with a single, term conflicts associated with taking a purely monetary approach
more tangible manifestation of it: ‘affordability’. Too many to the value equation.
brands’ efforts target reducing price as is evident in the plethora of
chronic promotional activity. In many respects, it is an easy fix
with short-term returns, but can be unsustainable and potentially
detrimental to brand-building efforts in the longer term. Price
erosion as a perceptual ‘value-building’ strategy risks category
commoditisation, brand disloyalty, diminishing long-term margins
and meaningfulness to consumers.
If you want to better understand consumers and how people

make choices, speak to us about our qualitative research and
behavioural science work, and check out our powerful analytics
capabilities.
32
So, what do consumers really value? Kantar Qualitative Practice’s

research demonstrates there are six ‘currencies’ consumers are now
CONNECTION
discernment and empowerment to engage in authentic,
willing to trade in exchange for value:
supporting relationships
MONEY The Middle East is largely collectivistic. At the onset, COVID-19

heightened the sense of shared humanity, community, and
financial liquidity and savings
solidarity. Now, consumers are re-emerging from the pandemic
experience (e.g., lockdown, social distancing, deprivation, sickness,
Though the most common treatment of this currency often bereavement) with a stronger sense of judiciousness about the
incorporates discounts, instalments, and deferred payments, it quality and not necessarily the quantity of relationships. They value
needn’t always be the case. A good example from the Middle East meaningful, authentic, quality connections more than ever.
of a creative mobilisation of the money currency to create value Equally, they value brands that facilitate or enhance these rich
comes from Burger King’s ‘Pay Cut Whopper’ campaign. At the human encounters or the occasions they exist in, which has given
peak of job losses and pay cuts, the fast-food giant showed rise to this ‘relational’ currency.
fairness and empathy to consumers during the toughest time by
offering discounts to match their pay-cut percentage to ensure
they can continue to enjoy a favourite meal.
VITALITY
a combination or one of immunity, energy, wellbeing (both
physical and mental)
TIME
If COVID-19 has taught consumers one thing, it is the value of
for the things that matter most and the capacity to do ‘more’
physical and mental health, energy, resilience, and wellbeing.
Products, services, and media that help promote one or any of
Time is an increasingly valuable and scarce currency that the
these have made significant gains, whether they have
Middle Eastern consumer is starting to be more careful with. A communicated localised vitality (e.g., skin, hair, immunity) or more
great example of this ‘time currency’ in action comes from IKEA general wellbeing. The appreciation of vitality as a currency will not
UAE. Armed with an understanding of the intricacies of competing regress easily and will fuel and propel future consumer choices and
temporal priorities and high-opportunity cost to consumers and valuations of worthiness.
brands alike, IKEA allowed consumers to pay with their time. Time
spent on relatively longer commutes to an IKEA store is valued and Although medicinal, natural sourcing or immunity-boosting
traded in store, based on an estimate on average salaries in Dubai. ingredients and the like may be top of mind for this currency, it is
Consumers can choose to exchange money, time, or a accessible and opportune to many more. A brilliant example (and
combination of both at the tills. This time-currency initiative personal favourite) comes from Maltesers UK.
resulted in a significant spike in footfall and earned media.
#TheMassiveOverShare March 2021 campaign aimed to normalise
the conversation around maternal mental health and help-seeking
by tackling taboos and stigma. Despite the seriousness of the issue,
Maltesers tackled the issue both authentically and humorously, in
the true essence of the everyday chocolate.
33
SAFETY
physical and financial safety
The need for safety and security, especially in moments of crisis, is

paramount. Retailers and malls across the Middle East were quick
to make brick-and-mortar shopping experiences physically safe
and hygienic, then communicated this.
IMPACT
a positive contribution to a societal, environmental, ethical,
or other cause
Conscious consumerism and the path to sustainability is only just

budding in our region. With top-down mandates and initiatives on
SDGs and sustainable futures from governments as well as
increasing responsibility for global brands and social media
influence, the Middle Eastern consumer will eventually catch on.
The mainstream consumer may not be ready to pay extra for
positive impact trade-offs immediately, but awareness is rising
strategically and will eventually impact on perceptions of value.
34
So, how can brands persuade and reframe value for these emerging currencies and evolving times?
Here are a few tips to help us move beyond a simple monetary treatment of value:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Reframe value by creating unexpected Design for the moment rather the Allow contexts of permission Create value within a new risk
motivational pairings activity landscape
Some decisions consumers are making,
Consumers are now making non-linear, Since the pandemic started, most value- especially in relation to categories and Consumers’ assessment and notions of
trans-category trade-offs, actively creation brand work has been reactive in occasions that involve ‘letting go’, can risk have changed due to the mega
exchanging one or more currency for nature. Simulating strategic growth give rise to emotional uneasiness. This is changes that have unfolded since 2020.
another. This creates opportune spaces requires taking an expansive view of the particularly true where the physical or To stimulate growth, brands need to help
for brands to talk about new trade-offs. In whole moment we are marketing to. This socio-emotional consumption context is mitigate these novel notions of risk,
moments of change, fusing motivations requires moving beyond specific activities lacking because of the macro challenges rebalance everyday risk and buffer the
that are at seemingly opposite ends of
to understanding demand spaces and and changes. Factors like managing future against unforeseen scenarios. To do
the spectrum can be combined to create
occasions. Value creation for a moment spatial challenges, intergenerational this, value creation efforts need to focus
value in novel ways.
includes giving permission, designing new tensions and the inability to let go or on two pillars: contingency planning and
rituals, and granting accessibility. indulge outside an immediate peer group current information.
For instance, a home baking kit or
can be big barriers. Brands have been
pleasurable snack can be reframed as
facilitators of family quality time and A good regional example comes from investing in getting the product, pricing, Middle Eastern Airlines’ move to offer fare
emotional wellness for everyone involved. Unilever. Though the culinary brand Knorr and supply right for in-home or out-of- flexibility, rebooking arrangements and
Equally, an expensive morning cereal can has its heartland in cooking, Unilever now context consumption but not many are adjustments to cancellations and refunds
be reframed beyond value as a nutrition- focuses the brand efforts on eating and creating the permissive contexts of create value by helping travellers mitigate
packed meal that ensures the family not simply cooking. This broadens the consumption. risk and engage more confidently.
busts its morning hunger. brand opportunity to include more
nuanced needs, behaviours, rituals, A social media post by Maltesers UK
emotional facets, innovation platforms reads: “What feels like a crime but isn’t? In conclusion
and more. Keeping chocolate in the fridge”. A
regional example comes from a simple It’s easy to think that with the easing of
promotional activation by Magnum ice restrictions and resumption of ‘normality’
cream in UAE, where the single purchase as it once were, consumers will
of any SKU offers a one-month free boomerang back to old ways. The reality
subscription to OSN. This is a great is, they won’t. The seismic change in
example of a brand enhancing a moment behaviours means the heightened need
and giving permission for a fully indulgent and chronic hunt for value is inevitable
experience that may otherwise have been and here to stay. There is an urgent call
guilt-ridden. for all of us to rethink how we create and
deliver value to stakeholders. The
centrality of framing value at the heart of
everything we create, market and retail is
integral to stimulate growth in a tough
time of evolving behaviours.
35
Rohan D’Souza At one of our last ‘in-person’ ecommerce-themed events, marketers spoke of their
Director challenges in creating an omnichannel experience. These included lack of clear
direction and dedicated department as more effort was placed on securing more
shelf space, with online presence limited to a handful of stand-alone initiatives.
rohan.dsouza@kantar.com
Enter COVID-19…
Waqas Ahmed
One of the slides shown at the event asked: “What happens if we don’t play?”
Associate Director
waqas.ahmed@kantar.com
EXPLORING DEVELOPING PERFORMING LEADING

What does ecommerce mean What is our ecommerce What’s our ecommerce How to drive category
for us? ambition? strategy(s) for category, leadership online?
REFR AMING THE

brand, sub-channel, and
ꟷ Ecommerce penetration for
Where is the opportunity: customer? How to drive strategic
our category(s)
collaboration with key
ECOMMERCE NARR ATIVE:

ꟷ Category (size of prize)
ꟷ Role of digital/ecommerce in How best to engage the customers?
path-to-purchase ꟷ Sub-channel and customer ecommerce shopper?
FROM ‘SHOULD WE PL AY’ TO

How to connect and leverage
Should we play in How do online shoppers differ How to optimise ecommerce digital assets?
ecommerce? from offline shoppers (drivers, investments?
‘IS MY APP GR ANDMOTHER

P2P)? How to embed and
ꟷ What happens if we don’t
play? What ecommerce capabilities consistently enhance
How to do effective
TESTED’?
are needed to win? ecommerce competencies
ecommerce merchandising? across the organisation?
How is our ecommerce
Who should be driving performance versus: What are the other
ecommerce? ecommerce/digital platforms
ꟷ Competition
that can be leveraged – e.g.
ꟷ Customer expectations D2C?
Learn more about how you can optimise your retail strategy and Since then, the pandemic has forced all businesses to reimagine, restart and refresh the way they engage with their customers and evaluate the
sales performance, use digital and social data to your advantage, best way to operate in the ecommerce space.
and accelerate your ecommerce growth, with help from Kantar.
36
1. 2. 3. 4.
Are our customers looking elsewhere? It’s all about ROI Is my app grandmother tested? Personalise, personalise, personalise
Even if your business retained customers at Attention spans have dwindled and in just A topic from our 2020 event that remains Does your regular bank ATM still ask for
the peak of the pandemic, the battle has 10 seconds consumers lose interest, relevant today is the trade-offs developers your language preference?
become harder as the pandemic lingers. As clicking through to the competition. need to be aware of, to ensure their
the digital ecosystem has blurred the lines and Measuring lost opportunity is a critical offering appeals to the widest possible Personalisation is becoming increasingly
diluted the question on right to play, brands consideration for the scale of investment consumer base: important as customers want brands to
need to keep tracking what customers are required. Quantifying this data is crucial provide recommendations based on their
doing and engage them with newer offerings. to enhance user experience in the 1. Time: “Great, I found what I want. How recent search and purchase history, to cut
ecommerce space, so pay attention to fast can you deliver?” down on their decision-making time.
Brands like Smiles have kept their customer how information is stored in your
base intact by ensuring their brand promise of organisation and how different functions 2. Money: “This meets my requirements While banks and telecommunications
‘levelling up lifestyle’ continues to be relevant can work together to effectively measure but is the payment method simple and companies in our region are starting to
in the gig-based economy. The brand also ROI. secure?” get this right, the process is largely still a
moved into the food delivery space, gaining work in progress, especially when
fair share and ensuring a new revenue stream, Brands also need to implement 3. Effort: “I’m relieved to have found this integrating all touch points to offer a
while also managing B2B relationships and cybersecurity measures to ensure online so I didn’t have to drive to the seamless omnichannel experience.
increased customer expectations. Less than a customers’ personal information is kept store.”
year since launching, Smiles’ market share is safe and to guarantee compliance with Language is an important area for
at 5 to 7% and the brand has been international norms, laws and best Simplify your ecommerce strategy with personalisation, and while most digital
acknowledged for excellence in convenience in practice when conducting this analysis. the following steps: properties in our region are already
the 2021 Kantar BrandZ spotlight report on available in both English and Arabic, the
Emirati and Saudi Brands. Keep the widening scope of the target audience
ꟷ Make the flow simpler, shorter, and
engagement up with newer offerings to fend means Emirati brands are also translating
more intuitive and limit the use of
off the competition. their apps into other languages to cover
jargon as content impacts the user
more diverse ethnicities.
experience. There’s a disconnect when
the content and design teams work in
This is the gold standard that requires a
silos.
continuous cycle of revisiting the basics
ꟷ Use the same visual cues used and going deeper into your customers’
universally to balance familiarity and specific shopper journeys.
novelty, as that will attract more
customers into the digital fold.
ꟷ The Hick-Hyman law draws on
psychology principles to show that
increasing the number of choices will
increase the time it takes for a decision
to be made, so limit the number of
choices presented upfront.
ꟷ The Von Restorff or isolation effect
predicts that human brains are wired to
group similar-looking objects, so we
remember those that stand out as the
most different. Highlight the preferred
offer as being different to land the
desired option with the customer.
37
Karan Kapoor
Associate Director
karan.kapoor@kantar.com
With talk of sustainability dominating Further, our 2021 Kantar BrandZ analysis of Emirati and Saudi
GREENING UP
brands shows high correlation of sustainability with disruption and
conversations, marketers are feeling distinctiveness – the pillars of innovation. So, businesses will need to
implement either a sustainable innovation or renovation strategy,
pressure from all fronts to pull
YOUR INNOVATION:
depending on their transformation journey. But approaching
sustainability from the side-lines to the innovation challenges with a sustainable mindset also requires
challenging the status quo, thinking out of the box, and addressing
AN UPSTRE AM INNOVATION focal point of their business. an underlying consumer tension or triggering a consumer
behaviour change, all of which can be seen as innovating with
STR ATEGY TO ACCELER ATE YOUR

meaningful difference. The Kantar BrandZ analysis shows that
The pandemic further triggered contextual shifts in what, how and ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Responsibility’ are among the top 5 drivers of
why consumers make decisions, magnifying the importance of building a meaningfully different brand offering.
SUSTAINABLE TR ANSFORMATION health and wellness. On the surface, there’s never been a better
time to propel sustainable brand transformation. Simon Sinek puts it aptly:
“PEOPLE DON'T BUY WHAT

YOU DO. THEY BUY WHY
YOU DO IT.”
At Kantar, we aspire to make a positive impact on society by
activating your sustainability strategy. Learn more about Innovation
for Sustainability, our leading solution on adapting and refining your
products and services.
38
The concept of sustainability comes with many uncertainties:
1. 2. 3. 4.
The value-action gap The difficult marriage Fighting existing perception The fragmented audience
There’s invariably a gap between the It’s a huge undertaking to adapt your Sustainable lifestyles and products are Levels of familiarity, motivations,
desire for a brand to act more sustainably existing brand DNA and adopt more usually associated with higher prices but relevance and excitement vary vastly on
and how this translates into behaviour. sustainable behaviour. Take Pepsi for not necessarily with greater quality or the concept of sustainability. The
The foundational study from Kantar’s example: developed as a youthful, better experiences and may even equate ‘diffusion of sustainable innovation’ curve
Sustainability Practice found 92% of energetic, and fun-loving brand, it now with a compromise of settling for is therefore more complex and layered for
people want to live a more sustainable life needs to decide whether to migrate to all something of lesser quality. sustainability ideas than it is for standard
but only 16% actively change their things sustainable or amalgamate innovation ideas.
behaviours. sustainability into the existing positioning.
If it goes with the latter, how easy will it be
for the brand to accomplish the perfect
blend?
39
Guard-rails to innovating sustainably The ‘slow and fast’ thinking approach to selling
your sustainability idea
As with any mainstream innovation, sustainable innovation should
be meaningfully different, solving an underlying consumer tension Overall, selling your sustainability idea to consumers might be a
and white space. Heinz came up with two innovations recently – a longer process, as it involves both rational and conscious decision-
‘100% recyclable ketchup bottle cap’ as well as a ‘ketchup packet making at the consumer’s end, involving both type 1 thinking
roller’, so every drop can be squeezed from the packet, maximising based on the initial excitement generated and deeper type 2
product use while minimising ketchup waste. While both initiatives thinking based on repeat usage, as that’s what builds customer
are designed against the backdrop of sustainability, the second loyalty.
one is more pertinent in resolving a consumer tension.
Your brand therefore needs to also focus on functional benefits
Sustainability may be more compelling as a peripheral feature to rather than only relying on emotive storytelling to sell the
your unique selling point (USP) for brand innovation, as Tesla sustainability idea, as sustainable products must still taste good,
focuses its communication on innovative design and the functional look good, stand out and come at the right price. For most
performance of its cars rather than sustainability. consumers, this means ‘sustainability’ is not be enough of a pull to
purchase – additional benefits need to be present to justify any
Sustainable innovations can tread between two extremes: premium.
ꟷ Minor alteration with no significant behaviour changes on the
The parameters of success for sustainable innovation vary from
consumer’s part, such as the eco-friendly packaging initiatives
those of mainstream innovation as it’s usually a much longer cycle
many brands are launching.
focused on reputation and equity building rather than just building
ꟷ Breakthrough sustainable innovation that warrants behaviour incremental volume growth. This requires a blended model of
change, such as reusable menstrual cups. Launched as a research approaches to ensure clear understanding of the current
cheaper, more sustainable alternative to pads and tampons, context of sustainability-related behaviours, as well as insights to
mass acceptance will require a notable behaviour shift. unearth deeper motivations in the sustainable innovation space.
To be seen as truly sustainable, your innovation should not involve

compromises either for or from the consumer, across the elements
of product, price, and place.
The sustainability benefits of your innovation should be tangible,

well thought-through and exciting enough to deliver on the need
for external gratification, allowing consumers to show it off within
their social circles as this is a top motivator towards adoption of
new trends in our markets.
40
Aruna Rajaram
Director, Brand
aruna.rajaram@kantar.com
We’ve heard the likes of ‘unprecedented times, a pandemic of epic proportions, the
new normal’ and so many other descriptors for the year 2020 ad nauseam –
understandably so, as none of us were prepared for what lay in store when the
global pandemic took hold.
The world as we knew it was effectively turned on its head, leaving Consumers want to resume travelling and that wanderlust voyager
brands unprepared for the sheer scale of disruption that unfolded, lifestyle, dine out, buy that dress to flaunt at a party, enjoy
with categories like travel, covering everything from airlines to fuel spending time with their friends like they did before and go back to
stations coming to a complete standstill, while hand sanitisers and their offices to have those coffee conversations face-to-face again.
INJECT A HE ALTHY D OSE

personal hygiene gained momentum, seeing double-digit growth. As consumers are looking forward and ahead, brands need to do
The shift to largely doing it all from home saw at-home categories the same, looking onwards and upwards from hereon to not only
like snacking and OTT platforms experience a consumption surge.
OF OP TIMISM INTO YOUR

survive but thrive in the future.
This also resulted in the emergence of entirely new behaviours like
Zoom classes for students while families connected digitally over But it won’t be easy. Gearing towards the future for this emerging
BR AND PERSONALIT Y
Skype calls and business was conducted over Microsoft Teams consumer means brands need to learn how to talk to consumers in
meetings. a meaningfully different way.
Brands took a while to respond to the change, but the initial We’ve heard that advice before, but it’s time to break it down into
responses were more about showcasing solidarity, with hashtags easy, actionable steps: how can your brand be more meaningful in
like #WeAreAllResponsible and #WeAreAllInThisTogether gaining what you not only communicate, but also in your actions?
momentum as they offered the collective hope that consumers Creating irresistible brands, with emotion at the heart, is every
and brands alike were most in need of in the wait for a return to marketer’s goal, as this is what gives brands meaning and purpose
normality. and drives consumers’ purchase decisions, so it’s essential for
brands to tap into universal emotions through various brand
Now, almost two years into the pandemic, the light is finally archetypes, depending on what’s most authentic for your brand.
starting to appear at the end of the tunnel. With vaccination drives Overall, it’s time to show hope, revival and a sense of optimism
gaining momentum, consumers are yearning to move on. that resonates with consumers’ future-forward outlook. It is what
It’s now time for brands to start walking the talk and acknowledge consumers expect and look forward to, so it’s time to inject a
NeedScope from Kantar helps you ensure that all brand messaging that we’ve all emerged from the initial chapter of the 2020s with a healthy dose of optimism into your brand personality.
and activity is meaningfully differentiated and reinforces that brand’s new set of behaviours, responses and experiences.
positioning, supporting the brand’s quest for Irresistibility through a
sharp positioning.
41
When it comes to brand archetypes, Brand Archetype Description Strength of

Archetype
optimism has many facets:
Red brands, which run on a sense of excitement,

Joker Fun, playful Highest
tend to be bold, independent and dynamic,
showing a ‘can do’, ‘go get it’ attitude while purple
brands highlight individuality and inspire a sense Joker Fun, playful
of admiration by showing that now as the time to
shine against odds. Blue brands, seen as focused,
Sage Knowledgeable, wise
competent and controlled, show optimism by
demonstrating learnings and wisdom from the
past and what it means to grow with past Expert Competent, efficient
experiences.
Networker Friendly, warm
Affiliative brands offer different renditions of
optimism as brown brands talk of having your
back and guiding you through this new era to Enchanter Desirable, sophisticated
show they care and elicit a sense of comfort,
protection and peace, while orange brands
emphasise a sense of belonging by speaking of the Sage Knowledgeable, wise
joy that comes from togetherness and what’s in
store next, showing what we can expect as the Joker Fun, playful Lowest
outcome of optimism.
Finally, fun-loving, spontaneous and carefree Source: www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/media-matchmaking-find-the-media-environments-that-best-fit-your-brand

yellow brands seduce consumers by portraying the
happiness and joy that comes as a reprieve from
the mundane and the ordinary.
TikTok serves as an excellent example of a brand

that has instilled this optimism as part of its
everyday brand language. TikTok has grown
enormously in this region since its launch in early
2019, having come into even more prominence in
this market in the last year where it saw a 120%
increase in its top 10 influencers. The brand clearly
embodies the jester/joker personality, embracing
elements of fun, surprise, chance and discovery. It
is the optimal platform for creative expression and
inspires joy.
But TikTok’s success does not mean that all brands

now need to talk from the yellow/jester language
brand book.
42
4 steps to saturate your brand archetype with the emotional language consumers crave:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Emotion is a universal language Keep your brand language authentic and Consistency is key, so you need to be This need for consistency means your
understood by all. Ensure that language true to what you stand for, to be a consistent in your look, messaging and brand’s inherent resonating emotion can
resonates in all your brand meaningfully different brand. the emotions you elicit by matching your be changed frequently. You need to
communications. brand’s emotive language to the realise what they your brand stands for in
consumer problems you solve. the eyes of the consumer and continue to
root all your messaging in that emotion.
43
Raj Mitra
Consumer Insights Director
Worldpanel Division, Kantar
raj.mitra@kantar.com
Love it or hate it, 2020 and 2021 saw the new normal become part of our every-day
Mit Parekh vocabulary. Now, marketers must go beyond the platitudes and decode it to
Manager, Brand and Commerce navigate their brands through these turbulent times. As the oft-heard soundbite on
mit.parekh@kantar.com evolution states: “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”.
Ankit Dhingra
Director, Brand and Commerce
Insights Division, Kantar We have identified three aspects of the new normal that apply to the evolving consumer and shopper environment of today:
ankit.dhingra@kantar.com
1.
This has translated into more planned shopping occasions, with
shoppers listing the categories they’ll continue buying and which
ones they can live without. This holds serious implications for
Make every FMOT count
THE SECRET TO SUSTAINABLE

category leaders to ensure they continue building category
relevance, as an increase in basket size does not compensate for
Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) A.G Lafley reshaped the marketing the decline in frequency of purchase, limiting category growth.
BR AND GROW TH
model and coined the term First Moment of Truth (FMOT), as “the Marketers need to ensure they have a proper understanding of
moment a consumer chooses a product over other competitors’ ‘destination categories’, that they feature in promotional materials
offerings”. There has been a substantial drop in the number of to secure higher footfall and conversion on the shop floor.
FOR CHALLENGER AND times families go shopping, with families across the KSA and UAE
maintaining this new pattern of fewer trips and bigger basket sizes, While category planning increased, brand planning has remained
C ATEG ORY-LE ADING BR ANDS

even as lockdown and curfew restrictions have eased. on par with pre-COVID levels. Few brands have driven their brand
equity to get into pre-planned baskets. as ever-increasing promo-
KSA levels aren’t enough to correct category decline. As another former
ALIKE P&G CEO Bob McDonald stated in the Harvard Business Review:
23m 12% “WE KNOW FROM OUR

Fewer shopping trips More spend per trip
(Total number of annual
trips is 808m) HISTORY THAT WHILE
UAE
PROMOTIONS MAY WIN
Learn more about how to ride the wave to growth from the lens of
consumer, shopper, and retailer.
43m 5% QUARTERS, INNOVATIONS
Fewer shopping trips
WIN DECADES.”
More spend per trip
(Total number of annual
trips is 383m)
44
2. 3.
Remain consistent and persistent CEPs = Customer Engagement Focus on experiential retailing The secret to sustainable
Platforms
brand growth for challenger
Andrew Ehrenberg, on whose work the Middle Eastern consumers seek experience
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute of Marketing from their brands, products, and services, and category-leading brands
Sciences was built, said “Your customers with experience-seeking shoppers the alike…
are other brands’ customers that biggest shopper segments identified in the
occasionally buy your brand”. They have a KSA and UAE both on functional Different categories and players are
larger repertoire set today, from which experience (quick checkouts, easy-to- impacted by market disruptions
they buy interchangeably, based on MENTAL PHYSICAL navigate aisles, higher assortment) and differently, making life difficult for
mental and physical salience. If your AVAILABILITY AVAILABILITY emotive experience (aisle theatrics and emerging categories and challenger
brand is not regularly reminding or aromatic infusions). brands, as people stick to the familiar
intercepting your audience on their path CEPs PRESENCE
and the ‘must haves’. Challenger brands
to purchase your risk of losing out DISTINCTIVE BUYABLE
With such powerful touchpoints at must have a credible point of difference
increases, because shoppers are more ASSETS PROMINENCE
marketers’ disposal, brands must deliver to justify their inclusion in the shopper’s
likely to choose the next best alternative if the shop-floor experience to create more basket. Mature categories and category-
your brand is not on the shelf at the right long-lasting differentiation than levers like leading brands also need to invest in both
place, at the right time. Almost half of PENETRATION price and promotions. physical presence and mental salience.
purchase decisions are driven by brand
equity, with less leakage in planned vs. LOYALTY Historically, the main category aisle has Successful brands’ marketing decisions
purchased brand. To ensure brand growth, been the main location of product pick up have kept the shopper at the heart of
marketing teams need to work closely to but decoding the shoppers’ in-store strategies and tactics generate
ensure each touchpoint on the consumer’s movements indicates they visit the main sustainable brand growth.
path to purchase leads to effective ROI Drivers of CRP brand growth in 2020 aisle after visiting secondary product
across business investments. displays/aisles, so brands that deliver this
Frequency led experience through theatrics have grown.
Refresh shoppers’ memories and drive
need-based salience to builds equity, while Penetration led With increasing pressure on space
being present and visible at the right time management for secondary placements,
and right place to convert on the shop 12,0 27,0 16,0 manufacturers and retailers need to relook
floor. at category planograms to ease shopper
88,0 84,0 conversion and create impulse by giving a
Delivering on both these parameters is the 73,0
strong reason to buy at the shelf or at
jeopardy in double jeopardy that drives secondary placements. Re-look at main
brand growth through an increase in aisle location for margin-driven categories
penetration. Global KSA UAE
and the role of secondary placements to
drive higher ROI from footfall to
conversion.
CRP = Consumer Reach Points, which is calculated as
household population or number of households in a country
Penetration is the % of households buying your brand
Consumer choice is the number of interactions with your

brand across categories in a year
45
R E S O U RC E S
47 — REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS
50 — PERSPECTIVES REPORTS
53 — KANTAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
56 — OUR BRAND EXPERTS
57 — KANTAR BRANDZ TEAM
59 — KANTAR BRANDZ GLOBAL

Resources
GOIN G G LO BAL?
WE WROTE THE BOOK REP ORTS

Kantar BrandZ: The ultimate • Kantar BrandZ
Most Valuable Global Brands
• Kantar BrandZ
Most Valuable Latin American Brands
resource for brand knowledge • Kantar BrandZ • Kantar BrandZ
and insight Most Valuable Global Retail Brands Most Valuable Netherlands Brands
• Kantar BrandZ • Kantar BrandZ
Most Valuable Australian Brands Most Valuable Japanese Brands
Our Kantar BrandZ country reports contain unparalleled market
knowledge, insights, and thought leadership about the world’s most • Kantar BrandZ • Kantar BrandZ
exciting markets. You’ll find, in one place, the wisdom of Kantar’s Most Valuable Canadian Brands Most Valuable South African Brands
brand-building experts from all regions, plus the unique consumer • Kantar BrandZ • Kantar BrandZ
insights derived from our proprietary Kantar BrandZ database. Most Valuable Chinese Brands Most Valuable Spanish Brands
If you’re planning to expand internationally, Kantar BrandZ country • Kantar BrandZ • Kantar BrandZ
reports are as essential as a passport. Chinese Global Brand Builders Most Valuable UK Brands
In association with Google
• Kantar BrandZ
• Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable US Brands
Most Valuable Emirati and Saudi Brands
• Kantar BrandZ Insights
• Kantar BrandZ US Retail
Most Valuable French Brands
• Kantar BrandZ US FMCG
Most Valuable German Brands
• Kantar BrandZ US Banks
Most Valuable Indian Brands
• Kantar BrandZ US Business Solutions & Technology
Most Valuable Indonesian Brands
• Kantar BrandZ US Media & Entertainment
Most Valuable Italian Brands
47
MEDIA REACTIONS 2021
Find out where great ads thrive
Great advertising deserves great media environments. People’s reactions

to the context in which they see an ad can make or break a campaign.
Media Reactions is the only global equity evaluation study of media

channels and media brands among consumers and marketers. It offers
a comprehensive view of the current media landscape and shows how to
navigate it. Providing essential guidance for campaign planning with an
ad equity ranking and a detailed diagnosis of perceptions about different
media environments.
Visit kantar.com/campaigns/media-reactions to find out more, and reach

out to manaswita.singh@kantar.com about insights from the Middle East.
48
MAKE B ET TE R, FA STER
B R AND D ECISI ON S TO
WIN THE BATTLE FOR
MARKET SHARE
Get ahead of your competition, using an agile brand guidance system that
gives you the crucial insights you need, when you need them. Understand your
current brand performance, and use leading-edge analytics to simulate where it
is heading. Contact your local Kantar team to find out how you can:
1 Optimise and justify

marketing investments
2 Strengthen your brand

equity and sales conversion
3 Grow your brand now and

in the future
Read more about Kantar’s brand guidance systems

kantar.com/campaigns/brand-tracking/home
Questions? Please contact arpit.singh@kantar.com
49
Resources
KANTAR BRANDZ PERSPECTIVES
Building brand equity: Our latest B R AN D B R AN D CO N SU M E R

Kantar BrandZ tools to diagnose TRUST
PER SONALIT Y PURP OSE
brand strengths and weaknesses
Understand the emotional side of your Learn how a brand can be more than a This report allows you to take a deep dive
brand through personality archetypes to profitable asset. Understand why your into brand integrity, summarising and
Based on unique insights derived from our proprietary Kantar
aid strong and consistent communication brand exists beyond profit, and your diagnosing your brand’s trust credentials.
BrandZ database, we have created an ever-expanding library of
with your consumers. role in consumers’ lives.
tools for building and sustaining valuable brands. These tools are
only available through Kantar.
CO R P O R ATE PRE MIUM

RE PUTATI O N
Gain invaluable insight into your brand’s Strategic pricing to increase your
corporate reputation. Find out why it brand’s profitability; compares pricing
matters, and how you can influence it, and perception to identify your potential
using the latest analysis. risk or opportunity.
50
SUPERCHARGE BRAND
GROWTH WITH
FASTER INSIGHTS
Kantar Marketplace is a market research
platform that accelerates consumer
understanding through a combination of
agile research products, powerful analytics
and deep brand-building expertise.
Whether you’re working on a campaign or a new product innovation, Kantar
Marketplace has a solution to deliver the fast-track insights you need.
Kantar Marketplace’s suite of survey products, reports and data includes exclusive
insights from Kantar BrandZ, the world’s largest brand equity platform.
Kantar BrandZ reports Kantar BrandZ data

Understand the evolving influence Explore brand performance data:
of key drivers of business success brand equity, corporate reputation
and your brand’s performance and brand personality, across a
versus competitors in this series range of categories, markets and
of reports on: time periods.
ꟷ Brand purpose
ꟷ Corporate reputation
ꟷ Consumer trust
ꟷ Brand equity
Contact brandz.marketplace@kantar.com or visit kantar.com/marketplace
To find out more, please contact piero.saleme@kantar.com
51
THE KANTAR SUSTAINABLE
TRANSFORMATION
PRACTICE
The world is at an inflection point. At

the heart of these challenges is the need
to understand your brand purpose, take
meaningful action and help consumers
close the value-action gap.
”Sustainability is one of the biggest business opportunities

today – it isn’t just the right thing to do, it is essential to drive
business growth.”
Adeola Tejumola, Managing Director
Middle East & Africa, Insights Division, Kantar
Environmental and social challenges dominate the news, and consumer and
employee activism are the new normal. In response, the financial community
is demanding action to de-risk business models. These changing values and
expectations create risk for both private and public organisations.
The Kantar Sustainable Transformation Practice brings together expertise and

tools from across Kantar to support organisations – both commercial and public
– to better understand people and empower them in the definition, activation
and measurement of their impactful sustainability strategies. Kantar has a
diverse portfolio of research in this space, helping brands and organisations
develop human-centric transformation programmes.
To find out more about the Kantar Sustainable Transformation Practice

and how it could support your organisation, please visit
www.kantar.com/expertise/sustainability
Contact Astrid Ricketts, Sustainability Director, Middle East & Africa at

astrid.ricketts@kantar.com
52
Resources
KANTAR IN THE
MIDDLE EAST
Kantar is the world’s leading evidence-based insights and consulting

company. We have a complete, unique and rounded understanding
of how people think, feel and act; globally and locally in over 90
markets. By combining the deep expertise of our people, our data
resources and benchmarks, our innovative analytics and technology,
we help our clients understand people and inspire growth.
To learn more about how to obtain valuable insights applicable to

all business areas, please contact:
Amol Ghate Nihal Pinto

Managing Director Managing Director
MENAP Saudi Arabia
Insights Division Insights Division
Kantar Kantar
amol.ghate@kantar.com nihal.pinto@kantar.com
For the latest news and studies from the Kantar network globally,
visit: www.kantar.com
FOLLOW US
53
THE WORLD’S LEADING
DATA, INSIGHTS AND
CONSULTING COMPANY
We help clients understand people

and inspire growth.
We have a complete, unique and rounded understanding of people
around the world: how they think, feel and act; globally and locally in
over 90 markets.
Our validated insights, evidence and advice are proven to drive growth
and are at the heart of our clients’ decisions.
We don’t just help clients understand what’s happened, we tell them

why, and how they can shape the future.
To find out more about Kantar, please visit www.kantar.com
54
DATA STRATEGIES FOR
BRAND GROWTH
Findings from Kantar’s Global

Advertiser Survey (May 2021)
Brands are operating in an exciting media environment that’s more dynamic
than ever before.
This short report provides an overview of the considerations advertisers can

take to leverage the full power of their own direct consumer relationships,
bringing relevant stories to the right audiences at the right time. It affirms how
responsible data stewardship can enable marketers to grow share of pocket in
order to grow market share.
Kantar brings speed to insights. We equip advertisers with

the tools they need to build the best advertising strategy,
pivot when needed and execute effectively in the moment.
For further details, or a copy of the report, please contact:

manaswita.singh@kantar.com
55
Resources
BR AND EXPERTS
WHO CONTRIBUTED IDE AS, RESEARCH, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND INSIGHTS TO THE REPORT
Waqas Ahmed S atish D ave Ankit Dhingra Rohan D’Souza Dina El Sehraw y Amol Ghate
Associate Director Executive Director D i r e c t o r, B r a n d Director Head of Qualitative Managing
Insights Division Customer Experience & Commerce Insights Division Research Director, MENAP
Insights Division Insight s Division Insights Division Insights Division
Karan Kapoor Raj Mitra Mit Parekh Aruna Rajaram Manaswita Singh
Associate Director Consumer Insight s Direc tor Manager, Brand Director, Brand Executive Director
Insights Division Worldpanel Division & Commerce Insights Division Insights Division
Insights Division
56
Resources
THE KANTAR BRANDZ MIDDLE EAST TEAM
These individuals created the report,

providing research, valuations, analysis
and insight, editorial, photography,
production, design, marketing, and
communications
Youssef Ahmed Leigh Andrews Jo B owman S agar Dhal
Youssef is a Senior Executive in the Brand Leigh is Content Marketing Manager for A journalist for over 20 years, Jo wrote for Sagar is a Manager in the Brand Domain
Domain at Kantar. He is involved in data Kantar's Insights Division across the Australian newspapers, specialised in of Kantar’s Insights Division in the UAE. He
mining and analysis for the 2021 Kantar Middle East & Africa. Her core focus for branding and marketing business writing in is responsible for the BrandZ research and
BrandZ Spotlight Report on Emirati and the Kantar BrandZ report is proofreading, Hong Kong, and worked as an editorial insights analysis.
Saudi Brands. well as social media marketing and PR consultant and writer in Italy and the UK.
communications. Jo has worked on BrandZ projects
spanning four continents.
With special thanks and appreciation to:
Ryan Boyd, Halina Bromberg, Amanda Bruhn, Kirsty Cooke,

Jayachandran Menon, Lebo Phosha, Raam Tarat and Emma
Whitehead
Ankit Dhingra Ilse Dinner Amol Ghate Manu Goyal
This project would not have been possible Ankit is the Director and Domain Lead Ilse heads up Marketing Communications Amol is the Managing Director of Kantar's Manu is the Client Service Director in the
without the amazing support of: for Brand and Commerce Practice for for Kantar’s Insights Division across the Insights Division for MENAP. With over 19 Brand Domain of Kantar’s Insights
Kantar's Insight Division in the Middle Middle East & Africa. She is responsible for years’ experience dedicated to consulting Division in the UAE, with over a decade of
East. He led the planning and marketing marketing and PR for Kantar BrandZ in with clients on brand guidance and experience in consumer Insights. He is
initiatives for the 2021 Kantar BrandZ the region and led the production of this strategy, he helped shape the findings for responsible for the BrandZ research and
Jon Andoni, Anne Earles, David Edden, Mai Fahmi, Olga Moreno,
Spotlight Report on Emirati and Saudi report. the 2021 Kantar BrandZ Spotlight Report on insights analysis.
Judit Stöckl and Ellie Thorpe
Brands. Emirati and Saudi Brands.
57
Resources
THE KANTAR BRANDZ MIDDLE EAST TEAM
Mar tin Guerrieria Sara Lezar Jay Nundlal Mit Parekh Aruna Rajaram
Martin is Director for Kantar BrandZ Sara is part of the marketing team Jay is a video and design specialist Mit is a Manager in the Brand and Aruna is Brand Domain Lead with over 15
Research. He is involved in delivering the responsible for the launch of 2021 Kantar with extensive experience in video Shopper Domain at Kantar's Insights years of experience in consumer insights.
full suite of Kantar BrandZ research tools. BrandZ Spotlight Report on Emirati and production and motion graphics. He Division in the Middle East. He is She is closely involved in the consumer
Saudi Brands. was tasked with putting together the responsible for the planning and research analysis and insight mining for
video production for the Kantar coordination of the 2021 Kantar BrandZ the 2021 Kantar BrandZ Spotlight Report
BrandZ digital launch event. Spotlight Report on Emirati and Saudi on Emirati and Saudi Brands.
Brands.
Sajimon Sahadevan Manaswita Singh Graham Staplehurst Sarah Wocknitz
Sajimon is a Creative Media Specialist for Manaswita is Executive Director at Kantar Graham is Director for Kantar Sarah is a Senior Graphic Designer with 10
Kantar in the Middle East. With over 18 and leads quantitative research for the BrandZ Thought Leadership. He has years experience in the industry. She has
years of experience in creative designing, team. She has been involved in insights over 30 years’ research experience in been part of the Middle East and Africa
he contributed towards video recording and mining and developing thought Kantar, specialising in brand and design team for 2 years, leading the
editing for the 2021 Kantar BrandZ Spotlight leadership for the 2021 Kantar BrandZ communications strategy. branding, formatting and execution of the
Report on Emirati and Saudi Brands. Spotlight Report on Emirati and Saudi look and feel of all things BrandZ-related in
Brands. the region.
58
Resources
K ANTAR B R ANDZ
GLOBAL CO NTACT
D ETAIL S
The brand valuations in the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global

Brands 2021 report are produced using the latest market data from
Kantar, along with Bloomberg/S&P Capital IQ.
The consumer viewpoint is derived from the Kantar BrandZ

database. Established in 1998 and constantly updated, this database
of brand analytics and equity is the world’s largest, containing
4 million consumer interviews, and 18,500 brands in over 50 markets.
For further information on Kantar BrandZ products and services,

please contact:
Amandine Bavent Martin Guerrieria

Director, Kantar Director, Kantar
BrandZ Valuations BrandZ Research
+1 20155 18650 +44 207 126 5073
amandine.bavent@kantar.com martin.guerrieria@kantar.com
You can also find out more on the offer at: www.kantar.com/brandz
59
FIND THE SHOPPERS
YOU NEED TO GROW
Kantar’s consumer panels track real behaviour: what shoppers buy, where,
when, and at what price. We also monitor how their behaviour changes.
This delivers an exceptionally detailed picture of purchasing habits – and how

these might evolve in future.
Understand which retailers, people, categories and trends will generate

sustainable growth.
Know where to focus your marketing budget.
Build a plan that will grow your brand and category in every retail environment.
Kantar tracks 3,000 households in Saudi Arabia as well

as the UAE and 750,000 globally. This provides us with
invaluable information on households’ shopping
decisions.
ꟷ Key FMCG categories are measured

ꟷ Purchases tracked around the clock in every store
ꟷ All channels and retailers covered – modern, traditional and emerging
ꟷ A cutting-edge online platform allows access to data 24/7 and live analytics
Read more here:

www.kantar.com/worldpanel
To find out more please contact:

bilal.shaji@kantar.com
60
kantar.com/brandz

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1 2 3

W E LCOME INTROD U CTION & THOUGHT R E S O U RC E S

29 — BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS:

32 — REDESIGNING BRANDS FOR

36 — REFRAMING THE ECOMMERCE

41 — INJECT A HEALTHY DOSE OF

44 — THE SECRET TO SUSTAINABLE

EMIRATI AND SAUDI BRANDS

Kantar BrandZ research data is

09 — BUILDING BRAND EQUITY

12 — 4 WAYS TO POWER GROWTH

READY FOR TAKEOFF!

Plans now include The Line, a zero-emissions futuristic business hub

In the past year, 7.8% of Saudi and UAE

Brand Power Is a measure of consumer

For this project, Kantar studied over 250

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE:

There are three core attributes shared by successful, valuable brands

The ‘Salience gap’ and how not to fall in

To some extent that’s true. Brands must be known if they’re to be

But brands cannot make up for a lack of Meaning and Difference

When there’s a gap between Meaningful Difference and Salience,

A brand needs to focus first on its Meaning and Difference, and

Well-established brands that are highly familiar to consumers tend

A CRISIS AND RECOVER

CASE IN POINT Also answering the call for convenience is Talabat,

The brand’s Fazaa personal shopping services and Quick

Almarai’s increased share of voice came at a time when

27 — DRIVING BRAND GROWTH WITH

29 — BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS:

32 — REDESIGNING BRANDS FOR

36 — REFRAMING THE ECOMMERCE

41 — INJECT A HEALTHY DOSE OF

44 — THE SECRET TO SUSTAINABLE

Brands also need to watch for the “Salience gap” – a

Sharpen your brand’s double-

Differentiation also allows for a brand to

The power of punching above your weight on

Digital 64% 43% 13%

DELIVERING CX AGAINST THE

BR AND PROMISE 3. Lack of understanding of the CX function, governance, and

Discover how your customer experience is delivering on your

There seems to be global consensus that while a brand is a promise

Brands need to have a unique brand positioning, be relevant and

THE MIDDLE E A ST:

EVOLVING DEFINITIONS OF VALUE

If you want to better understand consumers and how people

So, what do consumers really value? Kantar Qualitative Practice’s

MONEY The Middle East is largely collectivistic. At the onset, COVID-19

The need for safety and security, especially in moments of crisis, is

Conscious consumerism and the path to sustainability is only just

EXPLORING DEVELOPING PERFORMING LEADING

REFR AMING THE

ECOMMERCE NARR ATIVE:

FROM ‘SHOULD WE PL AY’ TO

‘IS MY APP GR ANDMOTHER

STR ATEGY TO ACCELER ATE YOUR

“PEOPLE DON'T BUY WHAT

The concept of sustainability comes with many uncertainties:

To be seen as truly sustainable, your innovation should not involve

The sustainability benefits of your innovation should be tangible,

INJECT A HE ALTHY D OSE

OF OP TIMISM INTO YOUR

When it comes to brand archetypes, Brand Archetype Description Strength of