Highland Spring announced as one of the UK’s strongest brands
Highland Spring, the leading UK produced brand of bottled water, was today (15 July 2009) announced as one of the UK’s leading brands in the 2009/10 Superbrands list. The announcement follows an independent selection process which included the views of over 2,100 British consumers.
The annual Superbrands survey, now in its 11th year, has become a key barometer on the strength of brands across a wide variety of sectors. The selection process was independently administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA) on behalf of the Superbrands organisation.
As a Superbrand, Highland Spring has been recognised by the selection panel and the British public as representing quality, reliability and distinction. Highland Spring is renowned for its purity and naturalness. In March 2009 Highland Spring unveiled a new look which gives greater prominence to the brand’s organic land credentials, with the labels featuring the wording “Drawn from Organic Land”, alongside a hand-drawn illustration of the water catchment area, Highland Spring’s protected source in the Ochil Hills, Perthshire.
Stephen Cheliotis, chief executive of The Centre for Brand Analysis said, “In an economic downturn possession of a powerful, well regarded brand is more important than ever and provides the brand owner with significant advantages over weaker branded rivals. As such the annual Superbrands’ ranking is not just an interesting and thought provoking league table but an indication of the potency of each underlying business. Brands that stimulate desire and drive volume and margin growth are essential in an ever competitive and difficult market place. Each brand awarded Superbrand status cannot only celebrate their success in creating a positive image but be more confident about their brand’s potential in the future.”
Sally Stanley, marketing director of Highland Spring said: “This is the fourth time we have been awarded Superbrand status and we are honoured to be recognised as one of Britain’s best brands. In a challenging economic climate it is essential for brands to be differentiated in ways consumers will find relevant and engaging. We are fiercely proud of our organic land status and world-class sports sponsorship portfolio and will continue to use these USPs to underpin our marketing strategy.”
Highland Spring is a major supporter of active sports throughout the UK and overseas, sponsoring Andy, Jamie, Judy Murray and Sir Chris Hoy amongst many others. The brand is currently running its summer on-pack promotion, offering consumers the chance to enter a free prize draw to win a VIP day with Andy Murray.
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Notes to editors
· Highland Spring was confirmed as the highest ranking British bottled water brand by Zenith in its 2008 Bottled Water Market Report. Highland Spring enhanced its overall position as the No 2 brand of bottled water consumed in the UK, with a brand share of 8.6% of the total market (8.2% in 2007).
· Highland Spring’s turnover was £51.4million in 2008. The company employs nearly 300 staff
· Highland Spring was the first British brand of bottled water to receive organic accreditation for its catchment area from the Soil Association
Contact Details
For further information please contact:
Eve Robertson / Alison Downs
3x1 Public Relations
T: 0141 221 0707
E: erobertson@3x1.com/adowns@3x1.com
Superbrands Selection Process – Summary
The UK’s “Superbrands” are chosen by the British public in a national survey of over 2,100 adults. Brands do not pay or apply to be considered. The public vote is the culmination of an independent selection process which considers thousands of brands from over 50 sectors.
Superbrands Selection Process – Detail
The entire selection process is independently administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA). The key stages of the selection process are as follows:
- TCBA researchers compile a list of the UK’s leading brands, drawing on a wide range of sources from sector reports to blogs. From the thousands of brands initially considered, a shortlist of just under 1,400 brands is created.
- These brands are scored by the independent and voluntary Expert Council, which is assembled and chaired by TCBA’s chief executive. The Council is refreshed each year. Bearing in mind the definition of a Superbrand, the council members individually award each brand a rating from 1-10. Council members are not allowed to score brands with which they have a direct association or are in competition to, nor do they score brands they are unfamiliar with. The lowest scoring brands (approximately 40 per cent) are eliminated after a council meeting to discuss the results and to ratify the scores.
- The remaining brands are voted on by a nationally representative sample of more than 2,100 British consumers aged 18 and above. These individuals are accessed via a YouGov panel.
- The number of consumer votes each brand received determines its position in the final rankings. Only the top 500 brands in this ranking are deemed to be Superbrands.
When voting on the brands, both the expert council and the consumers consider the following definition of a Superbrand: “A Superbrand has established the finest reputation in its field. It offers customers significant emotional and/or tangible advantages over other brands, which (consciously or sub-consciously) customers want and recognise.”
In addition, the experts and consumers are asked to judge brands against the following three factors:
- Quality. Does the brand represent quality products and services?
- Reliability. Can the brand be trusted to deliver consistently against its promises and maintain product and service standards at all customer touch points?
- Distinction. Is the brand not only well known in its sector but suitably differentiated from its competitors? Does it have a personality and values that make it unique within its marketplace?
2009/10 Superbrands Expert Council
· Stephen Cheliotis (Chairman) – Chief Executive, The Centre for Brand Analysis
· Nick Blunden – Managing Director, Profero London
· Tim Britton – Chief Executive, UK, YouGov
· Vicky Bullen – CEO, Coley Porter Bell
· Hugh Burkitt – Chief Executive, Marketing Society
· Colin Byrne – CEO, UK & Europe, Weber Shandwick
· Jackie Cooper – Founding Partner, Jackie Cooper PR
· Peter Cowie – Managing Partner, Oystercatchers
· Leslie de Chernatony – Professor of Brand Marketing, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano and Aston Business School
· Tim Duffy – Chairman & CEO UK, M&C Saatchi
· Stephen Factor – Managing Director, Global Consumer Sector, TNS
· Peter Fisk – Founder, The Genius Works & Author, Customer Genius
· Avril Gallagher – Group Client Managing Director EMEA, Starcom MediaVest Group
· Cheryl Giovanni – European President, Landor Associates
· Martin Hennessey – Co-Founder, The Writer
· Graham Hiscott – Deputy Business Editor, Daily Mirror
· Mike Hughes – Director General, ISBA
· Paul Kemp-Robertson – Editorial Director & Co-Founder, Contagious
· Sophie Lewis – Group Planning Director, JWT
· David Magliano – Director of Commercial & Marketing, England 2018
· John Mathers – Chief Operating Officer, Blue Marlin Brand Design
· Crispin Reed – Managing Director, Brandhouse
· Raoul Shah – CEO, exposure
· Prof. Robert Shaw – Honorary Professor, Cass Business School & Director, Value Based Marketing Forum
· Mark Sweney – Media Correspondent, Guardian Newspaper
· Alan Thompson – Founding Partner, The Haystack Group
· Lucy Unger – Managing Partner EMEA, Fitch
· Harry Wallop – Consumer Affairs Editor, The Daily Telegraph
· Andrew Walmsley – Co-Founder, i-level
· Mark Waugh – Deputy Managing Director, ZenithOptimedia