No. 1 brands have kept top spots for over 10 years

Brand loyalty seems to be strong among Koreans, according to a recent survey by Korea Management Association Consulting. A poll of 11,332 local consumers on 179 economic sectors found 37 per cent of the No. 1 brands have kept their place at the top for more than 10 years. These include Lotte Shopping (department stores), BC Card (credit cards), Kookmin Bank (banking), Kiturami Boiler (home heating systems), BIF Borneo (home furniture) and Huggies (diapers), among others. “These brands have captivated the public from the beginning, when these markets first started forming, and have kept up with the needs of customers up to today,” said Kim Jong-lip, head of KMAC.One example of beating out the competition from the start is Outback Steakhouse, the American family restaurant chain, which succeeded in the family restaurant war back in the early 2000s. The chain has stayed at No. 1 for four years.There are also smaller brands including Woong jin Coway (water purifiers) and Rinnai Korea’s Viuum (food waste processors) that have won over the public, dominating industry giants like Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.Sempio Foods Company also beat out CJ and Pulmuone with its soy sauce. Other brands took the top spot by targeting niche markets. KT&G’s ESSE brand cigarettes pioneered the 0.1 milligram cigarette market in Korea, while SK Networks succeeded with Speedmate, a quick stop auto repair shop.The annual brand power survey conducted by KMAC started in 1999 with 79 sectors. This year, it expanded more than twofold, with 72 consumer products, 42 durable goods (including products used over long periods, such as automobiles and TVs) and 62 service products.“To stay on top, it is important to expand into new consumer markets but it is also crucial to maintain quality and hold onto loyal customers,” said Kim Myeong-hun, marketing manager at KMAC.