Smirnoff “most powerful” alcohol brand
Smirnoff has retained its position as the world’s leading alcoholic drinks brand, according to a study.
The Diageo-owned vodka brand again topped the Power 100, an annual survey of the world’s leading drinks brands by brand consultancy Intangible Business.
The survey looked at the financial contribution of each brand alongside consumer perception. The brands are then rated by industry experts according to data including market share and factors such as future growth potential, awareness and premium price positioning.
Smirnoff achieved an overall score of 93.6%.
The vodka brand launched a fresh global positioning last year. The “Be there” campaign aimed to position the drink as a lifestyle brand.
Whiskey brand Johnnie Walker, also Diageo owned, came in second while Barcadi Ltd’s rum brand Bacardi was third.
Intangible Business says the recession has driven down scores across most of the top brands. Champagne brands Dom Perignon, Lanson, Nicolas Feuillatte and Taittinger all dropped out of the top 100 while less premium drinks benefited.
Stuart Whitwell, joint managing director of Intangible Business, says the 2010 list “marks the end to a 15 year drive to premiumisation”.
“This has been replaced with a drive to value which new entrants are taking advantage of. Vodka is still a high growth area with fewer barriers to entry and greater consumer choice emerging from both established companies and new value entrants,” he adds.
