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Branding brilliance: Kantar’s 30 most valuable SEA brands and what makes them stand out

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES — From business owners to marketers,  everyone knows that there’s no exact science to branding. That doesn’t mean that feats in branding simply just happen, though. 

Behind each thriving brand is its own strategies, innovations, and ethos that led them to their success today, which is exactly what Kantar’s “BrandZ Southeast Asia 2024 Report” unpacks. This report highlights the region’s most valuable brands, with the top 10 being: 

  • Bank Central Asia (BCA) – Indonesia
  • Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) – Indonesia
  • Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) – Singapore
  • Advanced Info Service (AIS) – Thailand
  • Mandiri – Indonesia
  • United Overseas Bank (UOB) – Singapore
  • Shopee – Singapore
  • Telkomsel – Indonesia
  • Marina Bay Sands – Singapore
  • True – Thailand

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adobo Magazine takes a closer look at the trends and findings reflected in this year’s Kantar report and the key themes these point to when it comes to driving brand growth in Southeast Asia. We’ll also touch on what these insights suggest about what it takes to give your brand a chance to come out on top as well in the years to come. 

Digital remains crucial in modern branding

Realizing your business’ potential becomes more and more impossible to do without leveraging what digital has to offer. This has been true for the past decade as more and more brands embraced digital, and in 2024, the role of digital innovation is showing no signs of becoming less relevant in the years to come when it comes to figuring out what makes brands thrive.

This isn’t lost on the brands that made their mark on this year’s list. Kantar’s report has shown that Southeast Asia’s top brands are ones that knew they had to embrace technology to enhance user experiences and stay competitive.

This is evident, for example, among the top financial service providers – an industry that dominated the year, accounting for 60% of the total brand value in the top 30. For instance, Indonesia’s BCA, the region’s most valuable brand at $28.3 million, demonstrates this with its myBCA app, which now handles 60% of all transactions, and by offering features like contactless debit cards and Paylater services.

This goes beyond financial services, though. Take Shopee, this year’s top retail brand.The ecommerce giant has transformed itself into a digital ecosystem by integrating e-wallet solutions (ShopeePay) and in-app livestreaming (ShopeeLive) to add value for both buyers and sellers. Digital innovation doesn’t end at just adding features, either. In fact, Shopee has started initiatives like Shopee University that help sellers grow their businesses, once again proving digital to be a space where brands can create more meaningful connections with stakeholders.  

But is it really just about technological capabilities?

Thanks to widespread technological advancements, the tools for innovation are increasingly accessible to brands worldwide. However, flourishing as a brand today demands more than just access to technological resources and skills.

To truly grow and thrive, brands must go beyond simply leveraging technology. These innovations also need to be driven by novel, customer-centric ideas. In Kantar’s words, this means that in order to be among the most valuable brands in the world, you need to be “Meaningfully Different.”

Kantar 30 most valuable SEA brands 2024 INSERT Meaningfully Diff

According to Kantar BrandZ research, having Meaningful Difference means your brand excels in terms of the extent to which they offer something other brands don’t while also thriving in building clear and consistent emotional connections rooted in relevant consumer needs. 

It seems like the brands leading the pack in Southeast Asia don’t have a problem in meeting this standard. Among the the top 30 most valuable brands in the region, Kantar has found that 93% of these brands embody Meaningful Difference. In fact, the region has outperformed all other Kantar BrandZ markets other than China in this regard.

Even first-timers on the list have exemplified this indicator for brand strength. For instance, despite being new entries like Indonesian brands IM3 and Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) show being Meaningfully Different can do wonders for a brand. 

Let’s take a look at IM3. Making the list, it has proved that it knows what should be driving its ethos as a telecom provider – focusing its brand and initiatives on the power of human connection. 

By delivering reliable and consistent 4G coverage across the vast and diverse Indonesian population, connected living has been made easier and more accessible. Plus, through investments in AI-driven infrastructure, it goes beyond the basics and walks the walk when it comes to its commitment to making life easier and more connected.

Then there’s BNI, which focuses on making financial services inclusive and accessible. This brand has exemplified gaining the long-term trust of users with its friction-free digital banking and open banking services. 

However, how it managed to be Meaningfully Different goes beyond this. BNI managed to stand out and connect with others in significant ways by developing initiatives like its Agen46 network and Xpora program, BNI supports small businesses and entrepreneurs, creating real opportunities for growth.

What the road to Meaningful Difference looks like

Kantar has created a blueprint to achieving Meaningful Difference, which is the standard that should be driving your strategies and initiatives for brand growth. 

According to the report, this blueprint boils down to three simple components – predispose more people to choose your brand, be more present in places where decisions happen, and find new spaces your brand can grow in.

1. Predispose more people to buy

How do you get more people to pick your brand? It starts with creating a strong predisposition among your community – and even beyond – for your brand to be their first choice while ensuring they’re willing to pay the price you’re asking. This involves deeply understanding what your audience values and tailoring your brand exposure to resonate with those needs.

Kantar 30 most valuable SEA brands 2024 INSERT Predispose More

Localized, culturally relevant experiences play a big role here. By investing in these, people are likely to associate the events and needs they regularly encounter in their own lives with what your brand can offer. You can never go wrong by taking your target market’s social and cultural contexts into account and embedding your brand into what shapes them.

2. Be more present

Visibility is everything. That’s why being “present” means showing up where your customers are – both online and offline. This means being available to offer the right products at the right price and ensuring your brand is easy to find, regardless of whether a customer is scrolling through results or scanning shelves.

Kantar 30 most valuable SEA brands 2024 INSERT More Present

After all, it’s not enough for a customer to want to choose your brand. You have to secure your presence in your customers’ lives in a way that ensures choosing your brand is easy for them TOO. When you create a customer experience that meets them where they are, may it be online or offline, then choosing your brand starts to become a given. 

3. Find new space

No matter what your road to brand growth looks like, it can’t exist without intention. After all, success doesn’t happen by accident – it’s something you plan for. It’s always a smart idea to explore new spaces to expand into. Maybe that’s a new market you can tap into, a product line worth developing, or even just a fresh way to connect with customers.

Kantar 30 most valuable SEA brands 2024 INSERT New Space

As long as you remain proactive and open to change, you can make the most of this continuously evolving region and discover how much bigger and better your brand can be.

What we’ve seen from this year’s top performers, from returning names like BCA to new entries like IM3 and BNI, is that there’s no one way to grow your brand. However, the ethos all these diverse strategies are built all stem from the ability and desire to connect with customers in ways that matter. 

So, while the opportunities for brands to grow will evolve alongside the thriving Southeast Asian market, it’s worth remembering that this growth doesn’t just happen – it’s planned, nurtured, and driven by a commitment to being Meaningfully Different. It’s no surprise that the brands setting the bar for the years to come are the ones that don’t just keep up; they also blaze the trail in new, meaningful ways that enrich consumers’ lives.

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