Observer brand survey evoking good response

The survey, which will continue till September 30, is aimed at finding out brand preferences of consumers and their loyalty to national brands in Oman. The survey, being conducted via the Internet, telephone and face-to-face interviews, is also aimed to find out how marketing efforts of major brand owners are perceived by general consumers as well as marketing experts.

Ashok Suvarna, a member of the Observer Brand Council and Executive Director, of Oxygen and MediaOne, says:

"The Observer brand awareness survey always evokes enthusiasm in consumers as well as brand owners. It gives a fair picture of brand preferences of consumers and popularity of the brands."

For the current survey around 130 top-notch brands have been short listed from an initial list of 300 brands. To facilitate this, the newspaper formed an 'Observer Brand Council', which is an independent and voluntary council, made up of nine experts. Only brands that are rated highly by the council have been included in the brand survey.

A report of the brand survey will be published in a 300-page book entitled "Oman's Best Brands—2009. The book, to be published this year, is part of the efforts Observer has been making to complement the Origin Oman campaign.

Oman Observer is in the process of producing this book based on brand management strategies and achievements of top-notch brands in the Sultanate as well as an elaborate analysis of the brand survey. The brand survey, in particular, is an essential tool for supporting rational, scientifically-based branding and marketing for marketers.

The main purpose of the Oman's Best Brands publication is to produce primary data and information on brands and brand management for business executives, students and faculty. The book together with the brand survey is designed to be a useful tool that will help in adopting best practices in brand management in the Sultanate.