The Diageo-owned Guinness has retained its position as Ireland’s top brand with a value of €2.5bn according to the latest survey carried out by Brand Finance.
Guinness, considered by many to encapsulate the very essence of Irishness, reinforced its position in the rankings due to a number of key factors including its successful digital marketing campaigns in a bid to create an ageless brand that appeals to all demographics. Brand Finance also singled out the company’s launch of new beers over the last 12 months as well as its increased presence in the rugby market with the Guinness Six Nations and the Guinness PRO14.
Guinness was followed by AIB in second place with a brand value of €2.3bn, up 21%. “AIB has been working to rebuild its brand over the past decade following the global financial crisis, focusing specifically on improving the interaction between the bank and its clients, from branch modernisation and exploiting the use of digital, to a more personal approach with customers,” notes Brand Finance.
The retailing giant Primark came in third place followed by Ryanair in fourth and Smurfit Kappa Group in fifth place.
According to Simon Haigh, MD Brand Finance, Ireland: “Ireland’s home-grown brands continue to be very strong ambassadors for the nation’s economy, which increased by 7.5% in 2018 – the highest growth rate among EU members. This momentum has been pivotal in Brand Finance expanding its Irish brand valuation ranking from 10 brands to 25 in 2019”.
The rankings are based the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market while brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors.
Ireland’s Top 10 Brands
- Guinness
- AIB
- Primark
- Ryanair
- Smurfit Kappa
- Bank of Ireland
- DCC
- Jameson
- Ardagh Glass
- Kingspan
