Gulf’s oil giants have it their way in a year when energy dominated all talk
Dubai: In a year when energy – demand and prices – dominated, Aramco in Saudi Arabia and ADNOC in the UAE reinforced their status as the Middle East’s most powerful brands. Aramco’s brand value went up a hefty 4 per cent to $45.2 billion, more than enough to retain its numerous uno status, according to the UK consultancy Brand Finance.
ADNOC was second placed at $14.2 billion, gaining 11 per cent. The clout was extended by IPOs from JV entities Borouge and Fertiglobe, and now comes the one from ADNOC Gas.
This is as far as brand value goes, When it comes to brand strength the UAE tech-telco entity e& (formerly Etisalat) is at the top of the hustings, with a value of $10.1 billion (up 18 per cent). That was enough to make it the strongest brand in the global telecom sector with a score of 89.2 out of 100.
It was last year that e& adopted the new identity and since then went into a raft of deals to work on its credentials as a super-app, build up a presence in the enterprise business, and also go big globally with stake purchases in UK’s Vodafone.
The ‘focus on enhancing customer experience and living the ethos of ’Together Matters’ helped the brand to increase its BSI score by 1.8 points, breaking into the Top 20 strongest brands globally, claiming 18th place,” says Brand Finance.
An entrenched domestic presence and one of the fastest expansions overseas helped UAE’s DP World anchor in with a brand value of $1.8 billion. “Despite difficult operating conditions, the global logistics brand has continued to deploy technology to create efficient and innovative trade solutions for stakeholders,” says the report.
Dubai headquartered Mashreq (brand value up 35 per cent to $1 billion) is the third fastest growing brand in the UAE. A refreshed brand identity, launched in 2022, was ‘part of a wider strategy to realign its offerings as a digital-first financial institution’. And at a time when standalone digital banks are coming to the party, not least the e& backed Wio.
Saudi corporate giants
Much the same brands dew brand strength in Saudi Arabia, with telco stc (brand value up 17 per cent to $12.3 billion) the second strongest brand in the Middle East and strongest brand in Saudi Arabia. The brand also rose 25 places in the Global 500 rankings – the most by any Middle Eastern brand.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Rajhi Bank (brand value higher by 32 per cent to $5.7 billion) is the strongest banking brand in the Middle East with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) of 85.5 out of 100. Another Saudi entity, Riyad Bank’s brand value is up 42 per cent to $1.8 billion, and above the overall average for Saudi banks.
Abu Dhabi’s FAB (brand value up 19 per cent to $3.9 billion) is the third most valuable banking brand in the region and the most valuable banking brand in the UAE. Record profits for 2022 bolstered the bank’s credentials on the brand side.
https://gulfnews.com/amp/business/markets/saudi-aramco-uaes-adnoc-remain-middle-easts-most-valuable-brands-as-energy-dominates-brand-finance-1.94126765?fbclid=IwAR2AvStgV_4Obehf_A4aTbxzO1Vm9ea_vLB_2lyPaM4aJZNHimniSvWmAds
