Worldwide benchmark:

Business Superbrands selection begins

Superbrands, the independent authority which promotes the discipline of branding and pays tribute to exceptional brands, having formed its Business Superbrand Council in Sri Lanka has commenced evaluating a short list of 500 + business to business brands.

These brands are those which primarily market their products and services to other businesses. Amongst the categories being evaluated are companies operating in the apparel industry, logistics providers, export manufacturers who provide raw material or finished products to international businesses, infrastructure developers, the packaging industry, printers and software developers to name a few.

“We are evaluating a totally different group of companies who did not come under our inaugural Consumer Superbrand programme. What we are after here, is to identify those brands which have excelled in their specialised fields of business by providing products or services to other businesses”, Director Marketing of Superbrands, Sharmilla Cassim said.

“We do recognise that many of these companies may not have used conventional branding to promote themselves. However, their brand is very well-known in each of the sectors they are operating in because they have excelled in providing a high quality product or service”, Cassim said.

The Council of 22 people consisting of eminent individuals in various areas of expertise are currently evaluating a list of just over 500 businesses that are operating in the country. This category of business requires a group of people who are knowledgeable and has insight into the specialised fields of the various business sectors.

“We are really grateful to the time and commitment our council has set aside for this task. And at the conclusion of this evaluation, we expect to showcase some really interesting companies, those that are the driving force of our economy. They may not necessarily be the most visible entities as they have no need to advertise themselves, as they are able to directly market themselves to their customers”.

The brand evaluation process being carried out by the council, is now coming to a conclusion, at which point, the individual markings will be collated and shared with the entire council.

After this point, those companies topping the list will be approached and will be invited to join the Business Superbrand programme. The Superbrand programme is being implemented by Superbrands Lanka which was established in 2005, with Sri Lanka being the 51st country to implement the programme, which began in the UK back in 1994.

“We hope to be able to finalise the entire judging process from which the Business Superbrands will be invited to join the programme by around the end of July”, Cassim said.

A Superbrands rating is today the worldwide benchmark which recognises brands with significant strategic focus and commitment for achieving extraordinary results, and is one of the most prestigious branding publications that are available. The 2007 Business Superbrand Council includes:

Debu Bhatnagar (Hemas), Sharmila Cassim (Superbrands), Stuart Chapman (GSK), Prema Cooray (Ceylon Chamber), Renton De Alwis (Sri Lanka Tourism), Dr. Anura Ekanayake (Ceylon Chamber), Lalith De Mel (Hemas), Dr Rohan Fernando (Aitken Spence), Vish Govindasami (Watawala Plantations), Dion Gomes (MAS), Ruchi Gunewardene (Superbrands and Chairman of the Panel), Trevine Jayasekera (Brandix), Eardley Perera (Superbrands), Dr Travis Perera (Postgraduate Institute of Management), Suresh Shah (Ceylon Brewery), Susantha Ratnayake (John Keells Holdings), Asitha Talwatta (Ernst and Young), Surath Wickramasinghe (Surath Wickramasinghe Associates), Tanky Wickremeratne (Hayleys). Dr. Kamal Weeraperuma (Haycarb), Ranel Wijesinha (Management Consultant) and Dr. Hans Wijesuriya (Dialog)