Awarding Brand Power

Held at the Khomas Regional Council in Windhoek last week, the first annual Local Brand Awards rewarded local brands who stood out over the year.

Notably the year’s breakaway star in local brands, OkaMannetti scooped the Most Popular Brand on Social Media award for being the most visible Namibian brand online.

The brand, since its inception after the Brave Warriors’ Cosafa win in May, has garnered over 14 000 likes on Facebook. OkaMannetti however only has 807 followers on Instagram and no presence on Twitter but still managed to beat out competition from other brands. OkaMannetti’s directors dedicated the award to their supporters, adding that the recognition motivates them to work harder and strengthen their brand in line with the country’s ‘growth at home’ strategy.

Good Vibes walked away with the Best Newcomer award while Respect My Hustle, which shouldn’t be mistaken for Kwaito hitmaker The Dogg’s album title, were crowned Most Popular Brand of the Year.

Speaking to The Namibian, one of the organisers Naftal Naeman said the event was a success, given that financial sponsorship was hard to come by. “King Shako CC, which is the main company behind the event, put up N$20 000 and even though we had other sponsors, none of them catered for the entire event,” Naftal said.