Nokia Tops Brand Survey in China

Nokia has topped a survey of the most admired cellphone brands in China. Chief Executive China magazine, published by Global Sources, released the results of its Second Annual "Top 10 Executive Brands in China.", which placed Nokia in the top spot. The survey drew responses from 2,452 business managers on 19 categories of products and services they regularly use. Criteria included brand admiration, brand advantage, brand preference, brand vitality and relevance.

Publisher of Chief Executive China magazine, Craig Pepples, said: "The only Chinese brand on last year's list was Beijing University's Guanghua School of Management. This year, local brands have gained traction with executives, with China Merchants Bank, Lenovo, Air China and Wuliangye taking top spots in their categories."

By product category, the survey shows China's top brands are:

-- Cell phones: Nokia (50%), Motorola (17%) and Samsung (13%).

-- Desktop PCs: Lenovo (29%), Dell (27%) and Apple (13%) ranked highest. Lenovo (36%), Dell (29%) and HP (9%) are the top three choices for a new purchase.

-- Digital Cameras: Sony and Canon have the same market share at 31 percent. However, Canon is the most admired brand (26% vs. Sony's 24%) and the first choice for new purchases (28% vs. Sony's 21%).

-- Domestic Airlines: Air China (23%), China Southern Airlines (19%) and China Eastern Airlines (17%) are the top rated local brands. Lufthansa is the top brand among foreign airlines.

-- Express Delivery: FedEx (44%), China Post EMS (19%) and DHL (15%). Ninety-six percent of respondents use these services, and 95 percent plan to use them in the next 12 months.

-- Men's Clothing: Armani (23%), Valentino (14%) and Dunhill (11%) are the three brands among China's executives.

-- Personal Banking: China Merchants Bank (35%), Bank of China (19%) and The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (13%) are the highest ranked local brands. HSBC and Citibank are the top two overseas brands.

-- Wine and alcohol: Wuliangye (27%), Mao-tai (25%) and Great Wall Wine (14%) are the top three local choices for wine and alcohol, while Chivas Regal, Hennessy and Remy Martin are the top three overseas choices.

The survey was conducted in May and June. Complete results are scheduled to be published in the August 2006 issue of Chief Executive China."

Posted to the site on 22nd June 2006