FOCUS - READER'S DIGEST SUPERBRANDS SEMINAR: Sony triumphs as Asia's No.1 brand

<p>Sony has emerged as Asia's power brand in Reader's Digest's second </p><p>SuperBrands poll, dominating the consumer electronics categories so </p><p>completely that it was awarded the coveted platinum status. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With its PlayStation Two making waves globally, the Japanese consumer </p><p>electronics giant stamped the superiority of its brand in the </p><p>television, VCR, CD player, MD player, VCD/DVD player and video camera </p><p>categories. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Sony was unbeatable in the MD and video camera categories, emerging as </p><p>the favoured brand in the six markets polled by the magazine. It was </p><p>equally strong in the TV category, losing out only in Thailand to </p><p>Panasonic. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The other categories which offered up a clear platinum SuperBrand winner </p><p>for the region were soft drinks (Coca-Cola), tea (Lipton), coffee </p><p>(Nescafe), soup (Campbell's), whisky (Johnnie Walker) and baby care </p><p>(Johnson & Johnson). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Coca-Cola lost out to Pepsi in Thailand and to big-spending local brand </p><p>Hey Song in Taiwan, while Lipton was the favoured brand across five </p><p>markets. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Although it commanded pole position in Taiwan, it didn't garner enough </p><p>votes for platinum status. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>To achieve platinum status, a brand must achieve a score of more than </p><p>three times the nearest other brand, said Asian Commercial Research </p><p>managing director Wander Meijer. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Gold SuperBrand winners (listed alphabetically in chart) must reach a </p><p>high level of both quantitative and qualitative scores, performing </p><p>significantly above other brands in the category. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Qualitative dimensions rated by respondents were quality, value, strong </p><p>image, trustworthy and understanding of customer needs, while </p><p>quantitative scores were based on the number of times that a brand was </p><p>mentioned by respondents. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>More than 9,000 brands were voted as preferred brands, but just under </p><p>140 were accorded SuperBrand status, according to Asian Commercial </p><p>Research, which conducted the poll in six Asian markets, including Hong </p><p>Kong and Taiwan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A total of 82,000 questionnaires in different languages were sent out, </p><p>with a 7.4 per cent response rate achieved across the six markets or </p><p>just over 6,000 returns. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>SUPERBRAND WINNERS </p><p>Category Total Asia </p><p>Car: BMW </p><p> Honda </p><p> Mercedes Benz </p><p> Toyota </p><p>Hotel: Hilton </p><p> Holiday Inn </p><p> Hyatt </p><p> Mandarin Oriental </p><p> Shangri-La </p><p>Airline: Cathay Pacific </p><p> Singapore Airlines </p><p> Thai Airways </p><p>Computer: Acer </p><p> Compaq </p><p> IBM </p><p>Home Canon </p><p>Office Epson </p><p>Equipment: Hewlett Packard </p><p>Mobile Ericsson </p><p>Phone: Motorola </p><p> Nokia </p><p>TV: Sony </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>VCR: Sony </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>CD Player: Sony </p><p> Aiwa </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>MD Player: Sony </p><p> Aiwa </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>VCR/DVD Sony </p><p>Player: Pioneer </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>Camera: Canon </p><p>(35mm/Compact/ Nikon </p><p>SLR) Olympus </p><p>APS Canon </p><p>Camera: Nikon </p><p>Digital Canon </p><p>Camera: Sony </p><p>Video Sony </p><p>Camera: Canon </p><p> Panasonic </p><p>Watch: Casio </p><p> Omega </p><p> Rolex </p><p> Seiko </p><p> Swatch </p><p>Quality Cross </p><p>Pen: Mont Blanc </p><p> Parker </p><p>Washing Electrolux </p><p>Machine: National </p><p> Whirlpool </p><p>Category Total Asia </p><p>Refrigerator: General Electric </p><p> National </p><p> Sharp </p><p>Cooker: National </p><p> Sharp </p><p>Water: Evian </p><p>Soft drink: Coca-Cola </p><p> Pepsi </p><p>Tea: Lipton </p><p> Nestea </p><p>Coffee: Nescafe </p><p> Maxwell House </p><p>Milk: Carnation </p><p> Nestle </p><p>Cereal: Kellogg's </p><p> Nestle </p><p> Quaker Oats </p><p>Soup: Campbell's </p><p> Knorr </p><p> Maggi </p><p>Cooking Knife Brand </p><p>Oil: Mazola </p><p> Minola </p><p>Seasoning Ajinomoto </p><p>Products: Knorr </p><p> Maggi </p><p>Instant Maggi </p><p>Noodles: Mama </p><p> Nissin </p><p>Instant Knorr </p><p>Stock: Maggi </p><p>Beer: Carlsberg </p><p> San Miguel </p><p>Whisky: Johnnie Walker </p><p> Chivas Regal </p><p>Brandy: Hennessy </p><p> Martell </p><p> Remy </p><p>Vodka: Absolut </p><p> Smirnoff </p><p>Shampoo/ Pantene </p><p>Conditioner Sunsilk </p><p> Vidal Sassoon </p><p>Toothpaste: Colgate </p><p> Darlie </p><p>Cosmetics: Avon </p><p> Estee Lauder </p><p> Shiseido </p><p>Skincare: Johnson & </p><p> Johnson </p><p> Pond's </p><p> Oil of Ulan (Olay) </p><p>Baby Food: Nestle </p><p> S26 </p><p>Baby Johnson & Johnson </p><p>Care: Pampers </p><p><BR><BR> </p>