In figures, the first 10 years of Superbrands Romania meant:
• More than 1,500 brands in approx. 50 categories evaluated in every edition
• 250 success stories shared by brands via Superbrands books
• 96 Romanian business leaders in the Superbrands Councils
• A collaboration with two of the most prestigious research institutes in the world ─ Ipsos and Nielsen

Superbrands Romania celebrates a decade of existence through an anniversary edition and a new website offering an interactive digital experience – www.superbrands-romania.com. In 2005, the Superbrands Organization entered the Romanian market by selecting the strategic communication agency BDR Associates as its exclusive local partner. Superbrands is the authority internationally acknowledged as the independent evaluator offering distinctions to successful brands. The “Superbrand” status awarded by the Superbrands Organization provides strength and prestige and helps the brand stand out from its competitors.

In figures, 10 years of Superbrands Romania brought 5 Consumer Superbrands editions and 2 Business Superbrands editions, 250 success stories shared by brands via the project’s signature-books and 96 top experts, from various sectors, voluntarily joining the Superbrands Council.

In the last 5 years, in the Consumer Superbrands programme, the top 5 categories generating most Superbrands were Electric & Electronic Equipment, Food, Automotive, Personal Care and Home Care, versus Healthcare, Home Decorations, Travel Agencies, Oil & Gas and Cosmetics, with the fewest titles awarded.

In the same time span, #1 Superbrand came from completely different categories, from Technology (Google – 2010-2011), Mineral waters (Borsec – 2011-2012), Baby products (Pampers – 2013-2014) and Home Care (Ariel – 2015-2016). The transition from Technology to Home Care suggests that, for Romanian consumers, providing for the family's basic needs has become a priority given the challenging financial context, with hobbies and refurbishing going in the background.

The most consistent brands to keep their Superbrand status in Romania and their presence in the Superbrands book include DHL, Orange, BCR, J.W.Marriott, Avon, Coca Cola, Sensiblu, Germanos, Raiffeisen Bank and Borsec. As for the constant presence in Top 15, the leaders are the German automotive manufacturers BMW and Mercedes with 3 editions each, followed by Ariel, Pampers and Gillette with 2 editions each. The performances obtained by these companies prove their ambition to reinvent themselves and adapt to new standards, a sustainable vision for the future and, last but not least, a communication policy defined by transparency and promises kept in relation with the consumer.

The Superbrands programme also offers an in-depth analysis of how the cultural perspective has evolved, using market research. The reshaped values pyramid and consumer’s higher interest in Romanian brands are reflected in the number of companies recognized as Superbrand. In the past 10 years, the percentage of local brands distinguished with the “Superbrand” title increased from 20% to 30%, with the highest share in the 2015 edition, where 84 Romanian brands were validated as Superbrand ─ totalling 29% as compared to only 20% in 2013-2014. Amongst the most appreciated and admired by the Romanian consumers are brands such as Borsec, Catena, Gerovital, Mobexpert and Medlife.

A change in perspective is also to be noticed amongst the brands with the highest level of awareness and reputation. While in 2007 they were coming from Telecom services, namely Orange and Vodafone, in 2015 the absolute winner was Renault.

Excellence in Romania and beyond
As a token of appreciation for the companies that run their business in the Republic of Moldova and share the programme’s values, the Superbrands signature-books pictured the vision of some Guest Brands such as Purcari and Orhei Vit, both confirming their status as models in top-level branding.

Emotion and accessibility
Digitalization and the variety of sources of information has determined Romanian consumers to go for adaptable brands, able to meet their expectations in terms of easy access, transparency and interactivity. As such, the landscape is quickly being reshaped by e-commerce, a sector where brands build their increasingly attractive multi-media experiences. This is how some large and dynamic companies in fashion (H&M), DYI (Dedeman) or eMag, a leader in on-line commerce, made their way to the top 15 Romanian Superbrands.

Broken promises are always sanctioned by consumers
«The unilateral communication belonging to the 20th century has been replaced by what we could easily call "no place you can hide". More and more aware of their power wielded mainly though social media, nowadays consumers have extremely high expectations as far as transparency and quality standards are concerned. It is not enough to simply be there, you have to make your brand story heard. Regardless of the activity sector, the consumer is interested in learning who you really are beyond an advertising campaign and what you can do to actually improve their quality of life. The road towards the Superbrand status always begins with gaining consumer trust, while broken promises are always sanctioned by consumers» said Cătălina Rousseau, Country Manager for Superbrands Romania.

«The research conducted for this programme shows us that golden brands truly exist, and their mission is to fulfill consumers' expectations. These are Romania's Superbrands!» confirms Raluca Costache, Superbrands Programme Coordinator in Romania.
Romania’s Superbrands vision is comprised in the signature Superbrands book, and the current edition is to be published early next year. The 2015 Council brings together 25 top-professionals in marketing, communication, on-line, journalism as well as successful businessmen with a significant experience in branding. Find out more about them and the top 15 Superbrands in Romania in 2015 on www.superbrands-romania.com.

The Superbrands organization operates in over 100 countries in the world, stimulating for over 20 years the development of local markets through specialized branding programmes and by publishing the Superbrands volumes that honour brands’ reputation, as well as the communication industry of each country.

About Superbrands Romania: Having entered the Romanian market in 2005 via the strategic communication and public relations agency BDR Associates, the Superbrands organization develops programmes dedicated to the Romanian market and the local branding culture. The programmes carried out so far, including three Consumer Superbrands editions (2006, 2010, 2012) and two Business Superbrands editions (2007 and 2008), have provided more than 200 models of success in branding and communication. The Superbrands programmes in Romania have brought together nearly 120 experts and professionals in management, marketing, communication, branding and other areas. More information about the Superbrands Romania programme is available at www.superbrands-romania.com.

About BDR Associates: The strategic communication and public relations agency BDR Associates is the exclusive affiliate in Romania of Hill + Knowlton Strategies, part of WPP, one of the largest international communication groups in the world. Founded in 1995, BDR Associates has offered over time professional assistance in the field of strategic communication and public relations for hundreds of clients, including major multinational and national companies, government institutions, international organisations, associations and non-government agencies in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. BDR is the first Romanian specialised agency which opened an office abroad, in the Republic of Moldova, in 2002. In 2005, BDR Associates became the partner appointed by the International Superbrands Organisation to implement the Superbrands programmes in Romania and publish the Superbrands books. BDR is also the first PR agency in Romania that won, in 2006, the highly reputable Sabre award for Best Practice in Central and Eastern Europe.
The company has also developed communication projects in other markets such as Georgia, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Croatia. Since 2007, BDR Associates has been a partner of CEC Government Relations in developing Public Affairs projects in Romania and the EU, providing high calibre support to large international companies in areas such as energy, non-cash payments, global investment funds, transport and courier services, and other priority areas. BDR Associates proposes a team of highly ethical professionals, as professionalism and integrity are the fundamental values of the agency in delivering measurable results to local and international clients.
Find more details at http://www.bdrassociates.com/.