Nokia and Google are the only companies that have appeared in both global and regional lists of top brands.
Nokia is ranked fifth and Google seventh in the BusinessWeek's latest Best Global Brands list, which is compiled by Interbrand.
They performed even better in YouGov's BrandIndex, with Nokia coming first and Google second in the UAE, and Nokia rated second and Google third in Saudi Arabia.
Sony, which was ranked first in Saudi Arabia and third in the UAE by YouGov, did not appear on the top 20 list of global brands.
"Though there may not be any proven correlation, the chances of a successful global brand doing well in this region – if it successfully adapts itself to the local culture and attitudes – are strong," said Vivek Wagle, YouGov Director.
"The credibility and trust associated with a reputed international brand help it generate a positive opinion among consumers in this region. Most international brands are present here and consumers are aware of the product and brand choice at their disposal as well as the strengths, weaknesses and imagery of most key brands.
"Brands such as Google, Sony, Toyota and Nokia would probably feature in the list of top brands in most countries and regions. The fact is they have reliable and good quality products and services to support their leadership position.
"This may differ for service-based businesses such as banks where most of the global banks do not generate good scores in the region."
Yet Coca-Cola, the top brand globally for the past 10 years, does not dominate the Middle East market and is not listed on BrandIndex.
Mike English, Managing Director of Super Brands, said the reason the fizzy drinks maker was not a favourite in the region goes back to the years when it was banned from local markets.
"This has given PepsiCo an opportunity to dominate the regional market – Pepsi is well entrenched in local perceptions," he said. Many global brand ranking systems fall short. An example is one pan-Arab TV station that was ranked the most recognised brand on earth, which makes us question the criteria that are being followed in the process."
English, whose index is published annually, also rated Nokia as a top brand in 2007. "Global brand ranking can be very tricky, and I often disagree with many of the methods used because they disregard the dynamics of each market," he added.
"Evaluating a brand is not about sales and revenues, it is more about emotion. What matters is how an individual relates to a brand, a question that is followed by three main questions that determine what a brand is about – do you feel comfortable with a brand, do you trust the brand and does this brand keep its promises?"
The Interbrand study examined how brands had developed over the past 10 years as they acquired their current status. The study relied on four main factors: Brand strength score, role of brand analysis, financial analysis and brand value.
The chart saw Google climbing from 20th in 2007 to 10th in 2008, and rise to seventh this year.
The report said the continued diversification of Google's business, from new advertising models to online publishing, helped the brand grow. The common theme is low price and high functionality with added transparency. The Google Chrome web browser is twice as fast as competitors and grabbed market share equal to those of its third and fourth-placed competitors within 24 hours.
However, analyst said, Google remains the most popular search engine in the region. Amir Bozorgzadeh, Business Development Associate at YouGov, said: "Just think of the fact that the 'googling' has become a verb synonymous with searching the web."
Despite the varying internet penetration rates across the region, the search engine still retains its popularity and has more Arabic content than Yahoo.
The Yahoo-Maktoob deal, which is expected to be finalised this month, is intended to develop original and translated Arabic content from Yahoo's services. Interbrand ranks Yahoo 64th in its global brands list.
Wagle said: "I think a good idea would be to look at the philosophy of Google – keep things plain and simple. It stands for a single-minded purpose and does it very effectively – type in a question or something you are looking for and you get the answer or the options to consider."
And Bozorgzadeh added: "In my personal opinion, the Middle East is a Google-focused market and it is receiving a lot of attention. Brand perceptions are things that change every day. Perceptions might be affected by a specific campaign or by a newly introduced message."
He said the global slowdown could lead to changes in brand preferences.
The Interbrand report focused on the impact of the downturn on a number of brands. It noted that many consumers were switching to cheaper alternatives such as own-label brands, low-cost airlines and factory outlets and increasing online research and shopping.
The report pointed out that many consumers were trading down, buying when items were on promotion or delaying purchases.
Some markets have even seen consumers take advantage of declines in currency values. South Korea's currency has fallen so dramatically against the Japanese yen that thousands of Japanese consumers are regularly taking flights to Seoul.
Interbrand said the change was a shift from a question of "what to buy" to "why buy" and from purchasing power to an empowered purchase.
Bozorgzadeh said the same applied in the local market, where brands such as Carrefour, for example, were becoming more popular and overtaking Choithram and Spinneys. Similarly real estate developers, might not be as popular after the economic crisis as before.
Yougov monitors new categories
YouGov is to start monitoring seven or eight new product categories as part of the BrandIndex survey, said Amir Bozorgzadeh of the company.
"In the next couple of months we will add the fast moving consumer goods [FMCG] category, including beverages, retail, fashion, shopping malls, non-food FMCG products covering personal care products among others and snacks. The other new categories are still being discussed," he said.
He told Emirates Business subscribers would be able to view the categories in a month's time and data would become available a month later. "Each category will include 25 brands that will be monitored constantly through regular interviews with a structured and professional online panel," he added.
"The brands will be listed according to research conducted by specialised teams to determine the 25 most active ones. We will later remove the least active brands on the list and replace them with others."
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