1. Total: When you think of Total, you think consistency in quality and standards; the attributes that have seen it outlast its mates like Shell and Mobil. Total Bonjour is an extension of the brand that has helped make it a household name among car owners and professional beer drinkers. Total has also become a landmark for many places in the country.
2. MTN: Everywhere you go, you will find MTN. MTN evokes the feeling of having a close friend. A friend who can be sometimes annoying, but never leaves you. Its bright yellow color represents much-needed sunshine. Its poor customer service has become synonymous with the sun setting and rising again the next day.
3. Orange: Its French origin seems to play a huge role in its brand. No matter how cheap its services become, the average English-speaking Cameroonian still thinks they are more expensive and meant for French speakers. Its reputation in Cameroon is closely tied to France’s reputation there. Despite having more subscribers than MTN and arguably a better service quality, it comes off as the telecom brand for people who have no choice. For most anglophones, it is a choice between “Yes” and “Oui”.
4. CPDM: This is one of the strongest brands in the country and only features in 4th position because we wanted to talk more about corporate brands. Otherwise, it should be first. The burning torch on its blue uniforms has since been replaced with a picture of the president. It is like one big party where some eat, and others eat crumbs from the table, yet everyone leaves satisfied. It is God’s idea of a tragicomedy.
5. Supermont: It is the David of Cameroonian brands. Supermont showed its brand power by unseating Tangui, which for a very long time was synonymous with bottled water in Cameroon. Supermont tells the story of the underdog.
6. Guinness: From Michael Power to the Made in black campaign, Guinness has for a long time distinguished itself amongst other beers in Cameroon. It has a reputation as the beer of the rich and the powerful. It is the only beer that has a reputation for increasing sexual prowess in men, making it the most manly of beers. If you can’t afford a whiskey, take a Guinness, and it will seem like your choice.
7. Fokou: The dull yellow and oxblood logo represents the unassuming brand that has accompanied many everyday Cameroonians in building their homes. The extremely modest look of its stores reinforces the perception of the Bamilike in Cameroon – a people known for their quiet industry. Fokou was the first of its kind to bring building construction materials closer. Just like Total, Fokou has become a landmark.
8. Mayor: Mayor is the cooking oil par excellence. It is so coveted that during a shortage, it was being rationed at certain supermarkets -2 bottles per household.
9. EquinoxTV: EquinoxTV is “the voice of the people.” At 6 pm, you will see bike riders parked on a street corner watching the news by Equinox. With numerous government sanctions on its back, it represents the oppressed.
10. Kadji: Kadji represents hard work, resilience, and generational wealth. It is the prime example of Cameroonian excellence, hence c’est le champagne du Cameroun, mais il a fallu du temps.
11. CRTV: Once the meaning of TV in Cameroon, CRTV is now only known to be the voice of the state. Visiting its headquarters will give you an accurate picture of Cameroon. The beautiful piece of architecture on the outside becomes a run-down brothel once you step in. Its brand tag could be “innovation dies here.”
12. 33 Export: The self-proclaimed No. 1 supporter of Cameroonian football has a reputation for being one of the strongest beers in the country. It represents the pain and joy of Cameroonians. Its affiliation with Cameroonian football completes the cycle. This beer is never out of stock.
13. Canal2: It is arguably the biggest television media company in Cameroon. It also hosts the most prestigious entertainment awards ceremony – the Canal 2’OR. If serving two masters at a time were a company, it would be Canal2. It is a brand that is equally for the people as it is for the state.
14. Azur: For many households in Cameroon, Azur is all things soap -used to clean floors, for laundry, and to bathe.
15. Touristique: it revolutionized luxury public transport in Cameroon and became the standard. Everyone who uses luxury interurban transport will remember how it started. Even those who have become loyal to other travel agencies know who the boss is.
16. Razel: It is the road construction company that has somehow not been frustrated by the Cameroonian government and probably the only one not controlled by someone tied to the Cameroonian government. Razel is the last resort; it is the company that will figure it out.
17. Yango: What Touristique did for interurban transport, Yango has done for inner city transport. YANGO means winning where everyone else failed. Many entrepreneurs tried to build the Uber of Cameroon before YANGO, but all failed.
18. Hysacam: Hysacam’s brand tagline could be “we are in this mess together.” No matter how hard the company works, it never manages to keep any place clean.
19. Tradex: Tradex’s signature rounded-edge parallelogram roof, sitting on cone pillars, constitutes a huge part of its brand. Without the Logo and the oxblood-cream white finish, a Tradex petrol station is easy to identify even during construction. Rumored to be backed by the government, its reputation follows suit.
20. Afriland: The grey and smoked white tiles together with the signature pattern that adorn its buildings will make the bank stand out from a row of buildings. With a CEO who later became Minister of Finance, the bank has a reputation for prudence. Just like Kadji, it is another beacon of Cameroonian excellence.
-PoiseNewsDesk
