- Maveeta, Botswana Meat Commission, St Louis, Choppies, BTC, DStv among the most admired brands in Botswana
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
In a revelation of national pride, Brand Africa last week crowned All Kasi as Botswana’s most admired apparel brand. The local sportswear brand has firmly planted its flag at the top, outshining other competitors.
Trailing All Kasi is lifestyle brand Collections by BK Proctor and Yoli, demonstrating a strong preference for homegrown talent among Batswana. Notably, sports apparel brands All Kasi and global powerhouse Nike dominate the list of most admired sports brands in Botswana.
A case for Botswana’s athletes
The Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa, Thebe Ikalafeng, sees this recognition as more than just a win for All Kasi.
“With our athletic teams and other sporting codes performing exceptionally well on international and local platforms, it is time to kit them out in proudly Botswana apparel,” he said at the unveiling in Gaborone. “This is an opportunity to take local brands to the global stage.”
His words echoed a broader sentiment: It is time for Botswana’s identity to be reflected not only in its achievements but also in its branding. The Botswana Investment and Trade Center (BITC), which hosted the unveiling, is already aligning its initiatives with this vision.
A fascinating glimpse
Thuso Palai of BITC announced plans to reintroduce local brands in the uniforms of national sports teams through the Pusha BW campaign. “We are saying all our local teams should go back to wearing our local brands as they represent us on different platforms,” he stated.
Beyond apparel, the Brand Africa research provides a fascinating glimpse into the broader landscape of brand admiration in Botswana. In the consumer, non-cyclical category, Botswana Meat Commission leads the charge, followed by Senn Foods and Debswana, showcasing the enduring appeal of local staples.
The retail sector is dominated by Choppies, with Spar and Sefalana also securing their places as retail favourites. Maveeta of renowned music artist Vee Mampeezy dominated admired brands in the non-alcoholic consumer category, with Agua and O3 securing second and third spots.
A paradox revealed
In the personal care category, Nivea outshone KMS and Vaseline while St Louis topped the list of admired alcoholic beverage brands, signalling a strong preference for local flavour beyond apparel.
However, the research also uncovered a paradox: despite these local successes, Botswana, like much of Africa, remains enamoured of foreign brands. This prompted Losika Seboni of Footprints Advertising, an affiliate of Brand Africa, to emphasise the importance of shifting this mindset.
“Studies have shown that Africans don’t buy African,” he noted. “But when you go to other continents, they prioritise their own.”
Long journey ahead
As Botswana continues to grow and develop, the challenge will be to foster a deeper sense of loyalty to local brands, encouraging Batswana to support their economy by choosing homegrown goods (and services) over international products.
The recognition of All Kasi as the most admired apparel brand is a significant step in this direction, but there is still a long journey ahead in changing consumer perceptions and habits.
SIDE BAR
RESULTS
Most Admired Botswana Brands Consumer – Non-Cyclical
- Botswana Meat Commission
- Senn Foods
- Debswana
Most Admired Brands in Botswana Consumer – Non-Cyclical
- Bokomo
- Clover
- Koo
Most Admired Brands in Botswana – Retail
- Choppies
- Spar
- Sefalana
Most Admired Personal Care Brands in Botswana
- Nivea
- KMS
- Vaseline
Most Admired Brands in Botswana Alcoholic Beverages
- St Louis
- SBHL
- Klipdrift
Most Admired Brands in Botswana – Non-Alcoholic
- Maveeta
- Agua
- O3
Most Admired Brands in Botswana Non-Alcoholic Beverages
- Coca Cola
- Fanta
- Pepsi
Most Admired Botswana Telecommunications Brand
- BTC
- Mascom
- BoFiNeT
Most Admired Telecommunications Brands in Botswana
- Orange
- MTN
- Liquid
Most Admired Electronics Brands in Botswana
- Samsung
- Apple
- Huawei
Most Admired Botswana Apparel Brands
- All Kasi
- BK Proctor
- Yoli
Most Admired Auto Manufacturer Brands in Botswana
- Toyota
- Mercedes Benz
- Ford
Most Admired Sports and Fitness Brands in Botswana
- Nike
- Adidas
- Puma
Most Admired Botswana Financial Services Brands
- Botswana Life
- Letshego
- Bank Gaborone
Most Admired Botswana Media Brands
- Duma FM
- Btv
- The Voice
Most Admired Media Brands in Botswana
- DStv
- SABC
- Netflix
Most Admired Brands Doing Good for Society – Environment and People
- Debswana
- Choppies
- Pula Medical Aid Fund
- All Kasi
Most Admired Brands Doing Good for Society – Environment and People (Non-Botswana)
- Orange
- FNB
- Nike
- KFC
- MTN