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Herald Reporter

The Herald, along with its sister brands The Sunday Mail and Star FM, has once again made it to the 2023 list of Top 200 Superbrands in Zimbabwe.

This was after an adjudication conducted by the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe.

The shortlisting of the top 200 brands is done after a nationwide research based on brand awareness and the number of spontaneous mentions a brand receives from consumers.

These top brands will then be taken to the field for further research to finally come up with the Top 20 Business to Business brands and the Top 20 Business to Consumer brands as well as the Overall Superbrand Awards.

The brands were unveiled at a MAZ breakfast meeting held yesterday in Harare.

The meeting was held under the theme ‘Anchoring brands Success on Environmental, Social and Governance’.

ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organisation is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria.

In a speech read on his behalf by head of marketing Ms Emillia Mabika, ZB Bank chief executive Mr Shepard Fungura said local companies should embrace ESG as a catalyst to propel their brands towards unprecedented success.

“Picture this: a brand that not only creates exceptional products, but also fuels a movement. A brand that transcends transactions and becomes a beacon of hope, inspiring change in the world. That’s the power of purposeful branding fuelled by ESG,” he said.

Mr Fungura said creating brands was more about connecting with customers on a deeper level, speaking to their aspirations, and showing them that their choices mattered.

“When we align our brands with their values and weave sustainability into our DNA, we create an unbreakable bond,” he said. “Together, we can create brands that transcend boundaries, inspire generations, and leave an indelible mark on our society.”

The Superbrand Awards are a key indicator of a brand’s standing in the market.

MAZ president Ms Lillian Mubayiwa said the Superbrand Awards were critical to every brand custodian, brand manager, or marketing or public relations practitioner as they gave insights on their brand’s performance and customer feedback.

“After the Awards are conducted, a detailed report is published with information that is increasingly being used by practitioners to gain insights on their brand performance, as well all benchmark their performance by gauging how they are performing each year,” she said.

Ms Mubayiwa said environmental, social and governance matters had become topical in every sector and urged marketers to be at the forefront of promoting such issues through incorporating ESG matters in their strategies.

Besides the three Zimpapers publications, other brands that made it into the top 200 list include Bakers Inn, Astra Industries, Bally House, Campha Care, Cascade, Chicken Inn, Pearlenta, Pepsi, Proton, Seed Co Zimbabwe, Revive and Olivine, among others.