Online poll to find most famous brand

Sep 3 2007 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL law firm Hill Dickinson has launched a new poll to find out which Merseyside brands will rank alongside names like Littlewoods and Pilkington as the best-known in the North West.

The company’s online survey aims to determine the North West’s top 100 brands and showcase the region’s economic success stories.

More than 10,000 people will be able to vote at www.brandsurveys. co.uk.

Other Merseyside brands that could feature include Royal Liver, Princes, Stanley Casinos, and Haydock-produced Vimto.

Hill Dickinson, the official lawyers for Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations, is carrying out the research alongside the CBI and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

Tony Wilson, senior partner at Hill Dickinson, said: “Such rankings of recognised brands are regularly undertaken on a national or international basis, but Hill Dickinson, the CBI and the CIM believe the region is home to so many successful brands, it more than deserves its own showcase.

“Given the nature of this venture with CBI and CIM members being asked to vote, the results will be more meaningful in terms of peer group review than a consumer-led initiative might be.”

Jane O’Sullivan, commercial partner at Hill Dickinson, who is leading the programme, said: “The toughest task ahead will be to narrow the number of entrants down to just 100.”

The research will be overseen by Cheshire research company Ci.

Diane Earles, CIM North West regional director, said: “When we were approached to take part in this project, my first thought was ‘why hasn’t anyone done this before?’

“I’m sure we will be pleasantly surprised by the list and I look forward to recognising great North West businesses and their brands.”

Damian Waters, CBI North West regional director, said: “Brand identity and loyalty have been key aspects of business for as long as companies have been operating and the North West has some truly amazing brands.

“We all have brands that we are loyal to or that we make sentimental attachment to and I am looking forward to the results of this survey to see what the position is in 2007.”

Other leading North West brands highlighted by Hill Dickinson include Swinton Insurance, Warburtons and Granada.

alistairhoughton