RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Interbrand, a global brand consultancy, released its annual ranking of the 25 most valuable brands in Brazil. The first placed was Itaú Bank, with a brand value of R$37.4 (US7.4) billion, followed by fellow banking giant Bradesco, whose brand is worth R$26.3 billion, and Skol beer, of the Ambev group, which is worth R$17.6 billion.
Three companies appeared for the first time in the ranking. The best placed in this group is XP Inc., which debuted in 10th place, with a brand value of R$1.6 billion, above companies such as retailers Lojas Renner and Lojas Americanas and Cielo payment company.
The other debutants are the pharmacy chain Drogasil, ranked 15th, with a value of R$ 997 million and PagSeguro payment company, which is valued at R$543 million, according to Interbrand.
The ranking has been running for 20 years and the companies included are Brazilian. Read the full list:
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The 25 brands portfolio totaled R$135 billion, an increase of 4% compared to last year’s edition. Beto Almeida, Interbrand’s CEO in Brazil, points out that this year’s result shows the predominance of brands in the financial and beer sectors.
“The highlight in the financial sector is XP Inc, which is the new element in this category this year. The company came to move the financial system and its structure. A brand like XP challenges traditional brands. The company has had positive results and is already in the top ten,” Almeida told InfoMoney.
Karel Luketic, partner and CMO of XP Inc. states that achieving this recognition is a matter of great pride. “It reflects years of work by a number of teams, innovating the way to connect with customers, ranging from unprecedented products, experiences and cutting-edge technologies, as well as top-notch content and analysis, to a robust digital presence, effectively helping to change and democratize the financial market. We still have much to conquer, but today, amidst the commemoration of one year of our IPO, we celebrate another important stage in our history by becoming one of the ten most valuable brands in Brazil,” he says.
Pethra Ferraz, XP Inc. marketing director, adds that staying committed to the purpose of changing the financial market, using the channels available to maintain contact with customers and company consistency made a difference in this atypical year.
“The result of the ranking is the fruit of long-term work. We are working to inform and educate Brazilians and we use our channels to this end. We bet on customer focus and also a qualified and diversified product portfolio. This year, we entered into partnerships focused on international funds and launched the first real estate ETF in the country. Our brand is here to challenge the established standards and bring transparency to the market,” she said.
She also emphasized that the investment advisory channel has been expanding considerably. “We need qualified professionals to offer the best possible guidance to clients. The position in the ranking comes in line with this set of daily efforts to help improve the financial life of Brazilians,” she said.
In the case of Skol and Brahma, Almeida stresses the positive year for these companies in terms of how they adjusted during the pandemic. “The companies could have been severely affected by the closed bars, but these brands managed to build an important role despite isolation, with interaction with the public through live streams, in the case of Brahma, and with the strategic hiring of Anitta, as head of creativity and innovation, at Skol, which also launched products,” she says.
Drogasil, which ranks 15th, was also mentioned by Almeida. “An important debut. It is the first pharmacy chain to be part of the ranking and is relying on new services, such as testing for Covid-19,” she says.
In a note to InfoMoney, Drogasil said it is “a source of pride to be among the 25 most valuable brands in Brazil in a year like 2020, in which health care has been increasingly needed.”
“Being present in this ranking is a recognition that we are growing, focusing on our values and, much more than that, that we have maintained, with excellence, service to our customers, with an omnichannel purchasing experience and consolidating our units as references in the comprehensive health care of the community,” said the company.
Magazine Luiza was an important company this year for having shown a 62% increase in brand value between 2019 and 2020. “It was a unique case. The ranking has a stable tone, but Magalu had rapid growth and was already in this process in the past two years. Now the company has become indispensable, reaching more homes and benefiting from people’s consumption desire,” Magalu says.
Empathy, speed and reliability
According to Almeida, an analysis of the 2020 ranking shows that companies have developed attributes such as empathy, speed and reliability.
“Empathy to connect with the reality of their clients, understanding the desires of people in a new world; speed was important for brands to deliver results, react and communicate with their audiences; and reliability is the legacy. Companies that understood what their clients needed and worked quickly in this direction have built a good relationship with customers and are in the ranking,” he says.
He also believes that the companies in the ranking are prepared to tackle the crisis. “This wasn’t the first crisis, nor will it be the last. These brands proved to be more prepared for the inevitable than others,” he concludes.
Evaluation criteria
The companies in the ranking must be Brazilian and must disclose their financial data. “We do not contact any company, we use the published data,” said Almeida. In addition, there are three main criteria analyzed for companies to be included in the survey.
The first is a financial evaluation conducted with the help of investment bank analysts; the second is an analysis of the brand’s role within the company sector, assessing the importance of that company for the sector in which it operates; and, finally, the brand strength, which contemplates what is needed to build leadership, engagement, and relevance.
Based on the evaluations of these three criteria, the consultancy awards a score of 0 to 100 points for companies. “There are 25 in the ranking and only companies that get over 50 points in this final score qualify”, explains Almeida.
Source: InfoMoney