Arimis petroleum jelly originally manufactured for milking purposes is among the brands most loved by Kenyan women, recent research by IPSOS Synovate has revealed.
According to the research that cuts across 13 million women across the country aged 18 years and above, most Kenyan women love brands associated with money with Safaricom topping the list followed closely by its mobile money service M-Pesa and then Airtel.
Equity bank and petroleum jelly Arimis close the list of the top five.
“The research shows the role that telecommunications and financial services play in the lives of Kenya’s women, who are majority owners of small and micro enterprises,” the study noted.
After the ‘money’ brands, Always, the sanitary pads brand ranked sixth followed by Coca Cola at number seven and Naivas supermarket at number eight.
Pay tv channel Gotv took position nine, while KCB bank was number ten.
This is the second edition of the list dubbed ‘The Top 100 Most Loved Brands By Women In Kenya study’, an insight-led tool aimed at providing Kenyan businesses with scientific insights on women’s preferences and how they drive purchasing habits of consumer goods and services.
Research shows that 80 per cent of consumer decisions are made by women.
“Businesses and investors need to be involved with a gender-lens, in order to make a significant impact in the country through women. Women as consumers are most likely to be discovery-oriented and focused on the outcome of the product/service. There’s a goal that guides the decision of the woman,” Dr Carol Ajema of the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) said.
Interestingly, second-hand clothes famously known as mitumba were ranked 21st, ahead of other ‘important’ brands.
The biggest worries for Kenyan women include losing family, getting very sick, failing to achieve life goals, not being able to put food on the table and unemployment.
“We are pleased that the insights collected in this study bring out issues affecting women in Kenya which will inform the development of evidence-based policies by the Government,” Public Service and Gender Affairs CAS, Rachel Shebesh said.
Other notable brands that made it to the list include Vaseline petroleum, body and home care brands Aerial, Omo, Sawa, Dettol, Amara, Geisha, Nivea, Toyo, Jamaa and Sunlight.
