Reader’s Digest Releases List of Most Trusted Brands in PH for 2021

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These local brands assure consumers that they remain on their side no matter what

(Manila, Philippines)– The world is still living in interesting times—with the ongoing pandemic still posing risks and consequently, governments around the world imposing lockdowns to flatten the curve. Despite the challenges, consumers still go on to live their lives, whether inside their homes or in controlled workplace setups.

Amid the new normal, the time of the year has come for Reader’s Digest Asia to recognize the Most Trusted Brands in Asia. For the 23rd year, different brands from across the region are being recognized for their unrelenting commitment to win the trust and loyalty of their most valued consumers. 

Just like in the previous years, Reader’s Digest commissioned an independent online poll conducted by market research firm Catalyst Research to identify the brands that continue to win the hearts of consumers amid the new normal. Over 8,000 respondents from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan filled out questionnaires to identify the brands they continue to trust from more than 50 product/service categories. 

“Perhaps, more than any other year previously, trust has been the guiding human emotion we’ve all had to rely on to navigate through our day safely,” said Reader’s Digest Asia Editor-in-Chief Louise Waterson. “For the brands themselves, trust matters when it comes to weathering a crisis, and ultimately, trust is built on the traditional foundations of quality, consistency, honesty, and delivering on your promises.”

Waterson also underlined the importance of keeping a good relationship between brands and consumers. “In terms of the current situation, with this pandemic, that also means getting proactive and reaching out to your customers like never before. It’s very much about maintaining a relationship with that particular individual.”

For the Philippines, the Most Trusted Brands were exclusively revealed in the June 2021 issue of Reader’s Digest Philippines. These winners are being recognized for continuously working hard to keep the relationship they have built through the years and for assuring the valued consumers that they remain on their side despite the odds.

Gold Trusted Brands

These brands are outstanding, based on their consumers’ perceptions. Thus, these have earned scores that are comparatively higher than other brands in the same category. Some of those in the list are:

• J&T Express – Airfreight/Courier Service

• BDO – Personal/Consumer Loan; Investment Fund Company

• Manulife – Life Insurance

• Acer – Personal Computer

• Baguio Oil – Cooking Oil

• Citibank – Credit Card Issuing Bank

• Ideal Vision Center – Optical Shop/Store

• Orocan – Plasticware

• Sharp – Air Purifier; Washing Machine

• Whirlpool – Washing Machine

• ABS-CBN – TV Network

Platinum Trusted Brands

These brands have performed exceptionally, as indicated by their consumers’ perception. In the poll, the following brands (among others) have attained scores that exceed those of their nearest competitors:

• Sun Life – Life Insurance; Investment Fund Company

• BDO – Bank; Credit Card Issuing Bank

• Executive Optical – Optical Shop/Stores

• Mercury Drug – Pharmacy/Drugstore

• GMA Network – TV Network

• Uratex – Mattress

• Goodyear – Tires

• Macao Imperial Tea – Milk Tea Shop

The complete list of Reader’s Digest’s Most Trusted Brands & Most Trusted Personalities are exclusively published in the June issue of Reader’s Digest Philippines. 

SM Supermalls earns its fifth Platinum as Philippines’ most trusted shopping mall brand

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The latest Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards awarded SM Supermalls with the coveted Platinum after the mall brand received an overwhelming 67% of votes from the Philippines. Platinum awards are given to brands that garner tremendous scores against nearest survey competitors.

US-based family magazine, Reader’s Digest, commissioned Sydney-based Catalyst, a leading independent research agency, to conduct polls that involve 44 categories of products and services within Asian markets. A total of 4,000 respondents, who were subscribers of the magazine, were asked to take a paper-based survey. Another 4,000 respondents, selected to represent the demographics of the general population, were polled through a survey online. Data collected from both sources were combined to achieve the results.

In the Philippines, 1,000 respondents were selected and asked an open-ended question to determine the brand they trust most by rating them according to six qualitative attributes: trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of consumer needs, innovation, and social responsibility.

SM Supermalls earned a Trusted Brand rating of 2,876 under the shopping mall category after receiving 67% of votes. The final rating was obtained by multiplying the total number of votes by the brand’s average score for the six qualitative characteristics. Data released by Catalyst also shows that SM has received a high trust rating as a “power brand,” based on share of votes. Also landing in the top ten brands under the shopping mall category is SM Mall of Asia.

Catalyst has been working with Reader’s Digest for Trusted Brands for the last five years. SM Supermalls has bagged the Platinum each year, totaling to five Platinum Trusted Brand awards since 2013. These recognitions affirm SM’s solid and unwavering commitment to innovate and promote an extraordinary mall experiences for customers that helped position SM as a trusted brand for Filipino consumers.

SM, Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Survey

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SM Supermalls was recently awarded at the annual Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Survey, garnering recognition in the shopping center category. The award solidifies SM’s reputation as a top-notch valued brand in the region. Receiving the award for the mall giant are Grace Magno, Vice-President of Advertising for SM Supermalls, Annie Garcia, President of SM Supermalls, and Ian Mathay, Assistant Vice-President for Operations of SM Supermalls. Presenting them with the award is Sheron White of Reader’s Digest (second from left).

Lazada Ph gets Reader's Digest Gold

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Lazada, recently received the Gold standard seal of approval from the renowned international publication Reader's Digest as one of the most trusted brands in the Philippines, ranking alongside with global luminaries such as Apple, McDonald's, and Shell as well as Philippine heavyweights such as ABS-CBN, Philippine Airlines, and Globe Telecom.

Sheron White, Group Advertising Director of Readers Digest Asia Pacific handing the Most Trusted Brand Plaque to Tristan De Belloy, Head of Online Marketing of Lazada Philippines. 

Every year, the Reader's Digest holds polls and gather insights from consumers from all walks of life, in light of finding out which brands gained the trust and confidence of the consumers. Segmenting the awards per category such as Consumer Electronics, Finance, Household Products, Personal Products, Food and Beverage, Health and Personal Care, Services, Motoring, and Telecommunications - Reader's Digest rounds up all the votes from the consumers and names those brands which are the most trusted for the year.

Lazada, the country’s largest online shopping mall, bagging the Gold standard seal on Online Shopping under the Services Category. 

Lazada Philippines,  recognizes this as a validation from its millions of shoppers that what the company has put up within the past two years of establishment in the Philippines has made significant impact on the consumers making online shopping effortless and risk-free for all.

True to its brand DNA of providing effortless and risk-free shopping experience, Lazada also commits itself to furthering this shopping experience with a strong customer service and logistics support - providing human interaction between the company and its shoppers more than the virtual interaction that they get from shopping at Lazada online.

Lazada Philippines Co-Founder and CEO Inanc Balci explained on how online shopping with Lazada can be enviably effortless and risk-free for many Filipinos.

“While more Filipinos always refer to the online shopping experience the first-economy countries as a template for global online shopping, Lazada pulls all the stops at this. Online shopping in the first-economy countries are very much credit card-based. Lazada clearly understands that the Philippines has low credit card penetration rate and most transactions are still done on cash basis,” said Balci. 

Balci adds, “Lazada offers cash-on-delivery payment mode—a system which works perfectly and sits as one of the main integers of the Lazada brand DNA. There's no need for the shoppers to risk going out wiring the money in the bank account of the seller nor scheduling meet-ups outside and exchange cash for the products.” 

“While shopping is never an issue for consumers within the metro cities such as Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao, Lazada expands its reach and breaks geographical boundaries by having its own dedicated logistics company—the Lazada Express which caters to Metro Manila deliveries as well as teaming up with the leading logistics provider in the Philippines to cover for outside Metro Manila deliveries. Thus making sure that its shoppers get their purchases whenever and wherever they are,” said Balci.

Parts and parcel of Lazada’s success amongst the hearts and minds of its consumers is that it empowers its consumers with a wide array of 40,000 SKUs to choose from, the flexibility it provides with its range of payment mode, and the way it listens and interacts with its shoppers making sure that in every step of the way Lazada listens and attends to the needs of its valued customers. 

“Lazada shoppers can be at the comfort of their homes or workplace and the items will be delivered on their doorstep wherever in the Philippines they are, free of charge. They are also empowered to have the option to pay the purchases in cash upon delivery; and if within 30 days the purchases are not to their expectations - and given that its still in their mint condition, Lazada covers the return shipping for free and the shopper will have their money back,” Balci explained.

Being one of the trusted brands in the Philippines, Lazada recognizes this not just an accolade to its past feats but as a stimulus to further innovate and improve itself to continue providing effortless and risk-free shopping experience to its consumers.

Healthway gets two nods from Reader’s Digest Asia

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Healthway Medical officials give their biggest smiles upon receiving the Reader’s Digest Asia Most Trusted Brand for Ambulatory Clinics Platinum Awards and Marketing Excellence Award. Photo shows: (L-R) Sue Carney, Reader’s Digest Asia Pacific Editor-in-Chief; Joven Alcala, Healthway Medical Marketing Manager, Myrna Sison, Healthway Medical VP for Finance; Carmie De Leon, Healthway Medical VP for Sales and Marketing; Eleanor Bengco-Tan MD, Healthway Medical President; Femina Agcopra, Healthway Medical VP for Clinic Operations; Eva Preciosa Aquino CPA, MSA, PhD Asst., Healthway Medical VP for Finance and Shared Services; Karl Aaron Dimaano, Healthway Medical Asst. VP for Business Development, Lyndon Patrick Dayrit MD, Healthway Medical Medical Director, Golda Camille Go, Healthway Medical Marketing Communications Head; and Elspeth Baker, Reader’s Digest Asia Pacific Marketing Manager.

Grateful and honored Jessica Soho for being Philippines Most Trusted News Presenter for 2014 by Reader’s Digest Asia

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Jessica Soho, journalist, broadcaster and GMA Network’s vice president for News Programs often shares her story about being an “accidental journalist,” but her long list of achievements including the distinction of being announced as the Philippines Most Trusted News Presenter for 2014 by Reader’s Digest Asia is certainly no coincidence.

Jessica Soho

“It’s always a proud moment for me to go up on stage and receive my award. I’m grateful because Reader’s Digest is such an influential and respected magazine,” says Soho in an interview.

"Trust is a very big honor in itself but I know that it's also a major responsibility," she added.

Sue Carney, Editor-in-Chief, Readers Digest Asia Pacific and Jessica Soho

She credits the Digest for getting her hooked on reading and shared how she would even borrow her aunt’s magazines since her family couldn’t afford their own subscription back then.

The veteran broadcaster’s latest honor is featured in the June 2014 special issue of Reader’s Digest.

Voted for by consumers, Reader's Digest Most Trusted Brand Awards have been given to brands excelling in various fields for the past 16 years.

Soho is widely regarded as the most awarded broadcast journalist in the country and her long list of awards includes two George Foster Peabody Awards for her investigative reports “Kidneys for Sale” and “Kamao.” The Peabody Awards are considered the Oscars of broadcast journalism. 

Initially planning to study law, Soho met journalist Luis Beltran at the UP College of Mass Communications, and he inspired her to finish Mass Communications.

During the mid-80s, fresh from college, just after finishing with her undergraduate thesis when she joined the GMA team.

Soho is the first Filipino to win in the New York Film Festival for Coverage of a Breaking Story for her account of a hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley. She also received the Ka Doroy Valencia Award given by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and is included in the list of 100 Filipino Women of Distinction.

With almost three decades of experience as a journalist, Soho has set the bar for quality reportage in Philippine broadcasting. Her trademark straight-to-the-point style of interviewing guests and reporters provides viewers with in-depth analysis and insights on local and international issues.

Apart from GMA News TV's flagship newscast, State of the Nation, Soho also hosts the award-winning weekend news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.

Reader's Digest Trusted Brands Award 2014, Recognizing the products that make a difference

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For business, trust is a form of currency, underpins the perceived value a brand enjoys. If a product doesn't deliver what it promises, or what it has done on previous occasions, then there are many alternative products waiting to lure away its customers. But when a brand does deliver, consumers feel a sense of trust and are more likely to support it – and to continue buying it in the future. 

Once trust is established, it becomes an instinctive response – the consumer buys the brand without so much as a second thought because it is "their" brand.

Trust, the difference between succeeding and building the legacy of a company. Much like any kind of relationship, something that is not so easily achieved, yet has become invaluable in today's rapidly changing landscape. 

For consumers, a trusted brand makes their lives easier and gives them peace of mind, hence they are even willing to pay a bit more for the products they trust.

For business, this is the ultimate vote of confidence. While reputation is based on past experiences, trust is a forward-facing measure, and is imbued with expectation, promise and satisfaction. Once gained, it is its own reward.

Consumers have high expectations. A trusted brand must be genuine, reliable and consistent. A trusted brand enjoys international appeal, yet at the same time upholds a strong local connection. It has individual relevance for all its consumers, just about anywhere and in any culture.

Consumers take a lot of things into account such as cost, quality and desirability. But the survey also revealed that staying true to its promise is just as important. Trends give rise to a lot of new brands that quickly capture our attention, but only those who stay true to their core principles are the ones that win over consumer trust.

Now on its 16th year, Reader’s Digest Asia again conducts its Trusted Brands Survey approaching ordinary consumers to seek their opinions about the brands of products and services are important to them.

The grand awarding ceremony was held on June 4, 2014, at the CROWNE PLAZA MANILA, with Readers Digest Asia editor in chief Sue Carney and Readers Digest Group Advertising Director for Asia Pacific, Sheron White handing out the awards to the top executives of the winning brands.

Backed with years of experienced research, Reader’s Digest confidently dissects what features a trusted brand must possess in order to maintain relevance and purpose for Philippine consumers.

Being ranked on the Trusted Brand list is a great achievement, but maintaining this ranking involves a genuine commitment to protect and fulfil the promises made to the consumer. It means ensuring the quality doesn't drop. It means that great taste stays the same. And it definitely means delivering the same value and consumer satisfaction year in and year out, while always remaining open to innovation and reinvention – a task easier said than done.

Together with leading global market research company Ipsos, the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands surveyed five thousand individuals from across five of Asia’s Key Markets including the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The respondents included Reader’s Digest subscribers as well as selected individuals to reflect the demographics of the general population. Each respondent was required to complete a questionnaire or participate in a mail or online survey. Ipsos asked each participant to tell us the name of their most trusted brands and then rate those brands listed on the following attributes: trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value understanding of consumer needs innovation and social responsibility.

Gold Trusted Brand Awards are given to brands that scored significantly higher than their rivals while brands that performed exceptionally, winning their category with a score that vastly outpolled their nearest competitor receive the Platinum Trusted Brand Award. 

Asia’s Trusted Brand Award, meanwhile are given to brands that win the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand award in the same category for at least three countries surveyed.

The results present a captivating and transparent analysis of consumer confidence in brands driving the Philippines economy as well as the other economies surveyed.

SM Supermalls wins ultimate seal of consumer approval, Platinum in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Award 2014

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Shoppers from all walks of life enjoys SM Supermalls,  the Filipinos’ most trusted mall brand through the years.

SM Supermalls received the Platinum in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Award 2014 for the Shopping Mall category last June 4, 2014 at Crowne Plaza Manila. (L-R) Sue Carney, Editor-in-Chief, Readers Digest Asia Pacific with the SM Supermalls team, Steven Tan, Senior Vice-President for Operations, Annie Garcia, President, Grace Magno, Vice-President for Advertising and Sheron White, Group Advertising Director, Readers Digest Asia Pacific.

SM Supermalls clinched, for the second year, the Platinum in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Award for the Shopping Mall category in the Philippines for 2014.

As the ultimate seal of consumer approval, the Trusted Brand Award reflects SM Supermalls’ commitment to trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, innovation and social responsibility. 

SM Supermalls adheres to basic tenets of shopping center management rooted in providing the highest level of service and delight to its shoppers which include well-curated local and global fashion brands through partnering with the world’s best retailers; a delectable mix of food tenants giving the market a taste of the best in the local and global scene; a wide array of entertainment options; awe-inspiring architectural eco-friendly designs and a warm ambience that allows shoppers from all walks of life to feel safe, comfortable and happy. 

Winning this award reaffirms SM Supermalls’ commitment to constant innovation and responsible mall development. The company’s duty goes beyond serving its customers inside the malls as it is also implements sustainability programs benefitting the communities where an SM mall is located. This award motivates SM Supermalls to even work harder in order to maintain the trust its customers have given the brand.

And one important reason why SM Supermalls is the Filipinos’ most trusted mall brand is perhaps because it’s never veered away from what it’s been known for through the years - fun and affordable luxury shopping experience. 

This is what SM Supermalls is all about.

In just over five decades, SM Supermalls became the Philippines’ most patronized chain of malls, rapidly growing from just one store into 49 malls in the country, three of which are among the biggest malls in the world. SM Supermalls also owns and operates 5 malls in China.