Safaricom, M-Pesa, Airtel and Equity are most loved brands by women – Survey
Safaricom, M-Pesa, Airtel and Equity Bank are the top four most loved individual brands by Kenyan women.
A study has found that Safaricom, M-Pesa, Airtel and Equity Bank are the top four most loved individual brands by Kenyan women, even as beauty products and hospitals dominated most of the list.
According to the third edition of the survey by Ipsos Kenya, titled Top 100 Most Loved Brands by Women in Kenya, out of the list of 100 brands, 22 of their favourite brands and products fall in the cleanliness and beauty segment while a total of 12 hospitals appear.
Domination of the two categories of brands are an indication of the consumer focus of the Kenyan woman, and reflect growing industries in the health and beauty sectors.
“Insights drawn from the study elaborate how the Kenyan woman drives consumer purchase decisions within her household as the primary shopper,” a statement from BSD Group and Ipsos stated.
The study showed the most loved cleanliness and beauty brands were Nice and Lovely lotion which was ranked 7, Amara (13), Menengai home cleaning products – Bar soap (16), Nice and lovely-Hair products and equipment (26), TipTop (39), Arimis (19), Ariel (23), Toss (29), Nice and lovely-Cosmetics (41), Sawa (47), Nivea Body care products - Lotion (49) and Zoe Body care products- Lotion (58).
In the health sector, NHIF tops the list. 12 hospitals were also ranked including The Aga Khan Hospital (24), Russia hospital (Jaramogi Odinga Hospital) at 53, MEPHI Hospital Kilifi (55), Kilifi District hospital (56), MEWA Hospital (64), Emusanda Health Centre (66), Kiirua hospital (77), Consolata Hospital (85) and Moi teaching and referral hospital (86).
In the financial product segment, aside from M-Pesa and Equity Bank, Kenyan women love Co-operative Bank (11), KCB Bank (12), Family Bank (21), M-SHWARI (30), KCB M-Pesa (71), Post Bank (97) and One Acre Fund (43).
“This is a huge opportunity for most brands that actively seek to engage women...They truly control multiple market segments through their influence and purchasing power,” said Ipsos Kenya Managing Director Chris Githaiga.
According to Mr Githaiga, 97 per cent of adult women play a key role in the purchase of products or services used in their households while on average, 78 per cent of their income goes to household purchases.
“Brand owners, policy makers and investors can now get a better understanding of women’s consumption habits...the value of women consumers in Kenya was understated, misunderstood and ignored,” he added.
BSD Group Founder and CEO Eva Muraya expressed the importance of recognising and promoting women’s active participation in the economy.
“Research by McKinsey shows that if women participated in the economy on the same basis as men, it would add $12 trillion, or 11 per cent, to the annual global GDP by 2025. This translates to developing products and services that meet women’s explicit and implied needs,” said Ms Muraya.
