ECONET Wireless Zimbabwe has emerged as the most admired Zimbabwean brand overall in the inaugural Zimbabwe’s Best Brands survey, launched at the ongoing Ideas Festival in Nyanga.
The telecoms giant also topped several other categories, including Most Admired Zimbabwean Brand Contributing to a Better Zimbabwe, and Most Admired Telecommunications Brand.
It further led as the Most Admired Zimbabwean Brand Doing Good for Society and the Environment.
The ranking was part of a wider brand perception study conducted by Brand Africa, founded and chaired by branding expert Thebe Ikalafeng, who officially unveiled the results.
The survey was conducted in partnership with the Zimbabwe Independent.
Brand Africa worked with its global partners on the research, using the same rigorous methodology applied across the continent.
This recognition of Zimbabwe’s best brands will now be an annual feature of the Ideas Festival as it celebrates excellence and inspires entrepreneurs to build world-class brands that can compete on the African and global stage.
Ikalafeng said Econet’s dominance reflected its central role in the lives of Zimbabweans.
- Mboweni mentors emerging entrepreneurs, calls for integrity in business
- Mboweni mentors emerging entrepreneurs, calls for integrity in business
- Zim tycoons elevate offspring to key roles
- Zim tycoons elevate offspring to key roles
Keep Reading
“Econet has been ranked as the most admired Zimbabwean brand overall. As the brand that contributes to a better Zimbabwe, to a better country. A brand that contributes to society, to better society, improving society,” he said.
Econet’s awards, he added, demonstrated the company’s role in creating viable platforms for doing business and communicating.
“And we know why. Because Econet makes it easy for Zimbabweans to transact, to connect and to communicate. Whether you are in the diaspora or whether you are a local, you rely, you depend on Econet. Because it is a trusted brand, it has got tenure, it has been around for a long time,” he said.
Other category winners announced include ZBC TV, which was named the Most Admired Zimbabwean Media Brand, while DSTV took the Most Admired Non-Zimbabwean Media Brand.
In financial services, CBZ emerged as the Most Admired Zimbabwean Banking Brand, and Standard Bank/Stanbic led the Non-Zimbabwean Banking Brand category.
In insurance, Nyaradzo Group was recognised as the Most Admired Zimbabwean Insurance Brand, while Old Mutual dominated as both Most Admired Insurance Brand Overall and Most Admired Non-Zimbabwean Insurance Brand, and also took the category for Most Admired Non-Zimbabwean Brand Doing Good for Society and the Environment.
Mazoe won the Most Admired Zimbabwean Non-Alcoholic Beverages Brand, while Coca-Cola led the overall Non-Alcoholic Beverages category. Delta was recognised as the Most Admired Alcoholic Beverages Brand Overall.
Chicken Inn was named Most Admired Fast Foods/Restaurant Brand Overall, and KFC topped the Non-Zimbabwean Fast Food category.
ProBrands won both the Most Admired Consumer, Non-Cyclical Brand and Most Admired Zimbabwean Consumer, Non-Cyclical Brand, while Unilever was recognised as the Most Admired Non-Zimbabwean Consumer, Non-Cyclical Brand.
In other categories, Bata won the Most Admired Apparel Brand, Toyota was named the Most Admired Auto Manufacturer Brand, Samsung took the Most Admired Electronics/Computer Brand, Total Energies was named the Most Admired Energy Brand Overall, with Zuva topping the Zimbabwean Energy Brand category.
Louis Vuitton was recognised as the Most Admired Luxury Brand, Avon as the Most Admired Personal Care Brand, Nike as Most Admired Sports and Fitness Brand, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) was honoured as the Most Admired Non-Profit Organisation Doing Good for Society and the Environment.
Ikalafeng said the rankings show Zimbabwe continues to demonstrate a capacity to build enduring brands.
“Zimbabweans have always been great at building great brands. We have got Mazoe here, which is one of the great brands out of this country. You have got Econet, which is the power behind the economy of Zimbabwe. You have got ProBrands, which are building great local brands. And then you have got brands like Chicken Inn. So I think Zimbabweans are great at building brands,” he said.
However, he expressed concern that although Africans believe in the continent, many still opt for foreign brands.
“I am worried that 64% of Zimbabweans say they believe in Africa, but only 46% believe in African brands,” he said.
He linked this to weak ownership of intellectual property, limited research and development investment, and a lack of shared pride in African identity.
He added that the Zimbabwe brand rankings were based on the same methodology used across Africa.
“We do one study every year,” he noted.
The Best Brands announcement formed part of broader discussions on competitiveness, entrepreneurship and economic transformation at the Ideas Festival.
