Arab teens name top brands

KFC is a staid favorite in Egypt: Arab teen tastes and fashion appear not be a far cry from teen fads of the 80s, nor do these brand choices reflect a degree of sophistication that might be expected from exposure to more options. Sophistication it would seem is the preserve of yesterday not tomorrow.

Fast food, fizzy drinks, and sportswear top a newly compiled list of the most popular brands with teenagers in the Middle East and North Africa.

According to Dubai-based market research firm AMRB and global teen research firm TRU, the top five brands in the region amongst teens are KFC, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Coke and Adidas.

The two firms said they compiled the top five from the responses of two thousand teenagers they interviewed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

One in five UAE teens believe that a good advertising or marketing campaign is the key to building a good brand, the companies said their research showed.

AMRB chief executive Gagan Bhalla said that regional teenagers “are a delight” for marketing professionals.

“Engaging the youth through social networking websites, innovative competitions… and fun, exciting games is the way to go,” he said.

The firm says that global brands looking for a toehold in the Middle East should become ‘glocal’ brands – localising their advertising campaigns and other branding as soon as possible.