Swaziland's only soft drink/beer canning and bottling company, Swaziland Beverages became the most recognized and most remembered company. A total 17.6% of the surveyed population when asked to mention any one company that they could think of in Swaziland mentioned Swaziland Beverages.

MTN Swaziland came second with 11.6% of the respondents recalling it. Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation followed closely with 11.2%. Making it to the top five of the most recalled companies were also Swaziland Electricity Board (SEB) with 8.2% of the respondents recalling it and CONCO, with 8.2% of people who recalled it.

The results are not surprising if ones takes into consideration the presence of the companies in the market, in terms of years of existence, number of products or brands and communication.

Swaziland Beverages has been in the market longer than the other companies. Though Swaziland Beverages is a new entity, the market still hasn't disassociated it from the two companies that merged to form it. The market still cannot make the difference between Beverages and the old Breweries. They use these words interchangeable when referring to the company. Swaziland Beverages has more brands in the market, popular ones and easily associated with the company.

Though the company does not itself communicate much with the public, the communications, adverts that it issues out with the help of South African Breweries for its various brands gives the company even more presence in the market. The combined effect from the number of brands, years of existence and massive communication probably best explains why the company is in the top of the list.

Having looked at the top five companies in the Top of Mind list, it suffices that top of mind is achieved through various activities and interventions from the company. Brand managers and their marketing counterparts have a duty to ensure the visibility of a brand in the market. We have also seen that the age and magnitude of a company can play a significant role in making sure that the company stays in the top of minds. There shouldn't be an over reliance on age and magnitude for top of mind recall. MTN has shown that with an ever presence in the market through communication a brand is set to be remembered and easily recalled. MTN is the youngest of all the companies in the top five. The less a company communicates there less recalls it will get from customers.

Why top of mind recall, one will probably ask? Top of mind recall for your brand, company or product, ensures that you become the first option or you make it to the evoked set of options the customer will consider in that category.

Get more interesting articles from infoshopswaziland.com

© Knotell 2007 all rights reserved. This article may be printed and used for informational purposes only, as is without any changes. Using it for commercial purposes i.e. reprints on books, newsletters or newspapers to be sold for a profit, without permission from Knotell Co. (Pty) Ltd is strictly prohibited.

Read Mangaliso's commentary on brand recognition for;

MTN Swaziland,

Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation,

Swaziland Electricity Board and

Conco

© 2007 all rights reserved. This article may be republished online as is. Get more interesting Swazi articles from infoshopswaziland.comFor print publication, please contact info@knotell.co.sz info@knotell.co.sz

Subscribe to our Swaziland newsletter and get up to date information in your inbox. You will also recieve free Swazi market reports regulary. Try it, it's easy to unsubscribe if you don't like it. Click here to subscribe now.

Swaziland Beverages is the most recognized company in the country

By Mangaliso Mkhatshwa