Every year, Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, evaluating their strength and quantifying their value, and publishes nearly 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The top 50 most valuable Russian brands are included in the Brand Finance Russia 50 2021 report.
Pobeda airline is up 113% and entering the ranking for the first time, claiming 38th position. Despite the decline in global demand for air travel, Pobeda’s results and forecasts are on the up, boosted by the growing interest in domestic flights. According to the company’s Strategy 2028, Pobeda is expected to annually carry between 55-65 million passengers, as opposed to just over 10 million in 2019. The expansion is to be achieved thanks to the growing demand for affordable domestic air travel and a fleet enlargement to match it. The extensive size of Russia’s territory presents Pobeda with opportunities unknown to European or Asian competitors who have to navigate travel regulations and border controls – complicated even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Pobeda’s parent – Aeroflot – is once again the world’s strongest airline brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.5 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA+ brand strength rating. Aeroflot has recently undertaken a shift in strategy towards becoming a more premium class travel option. As many other major airlines are being forced to make cuts in capital expenditure and suspend aircraft deliveries, Aeroflot is awaiting new generation aircrafts to gradually replace its older fleet.
As one of the oldest airlines in the world, Russia’s national flag carrier has clearly demonstrated that despite reduced air travel it continues to have a strong presence in consumers’ mind, with its reputation improving from 84.0 to 90.0 out of 100 this year, according to Brand Finance’s Global Brand Equity Monitor. Across the globe, flag carriers on average receive both higher global and domestic Brand Strength Index (BSI) scores.
Savio D’Souza, Valuation Director, Brand Finance, commented:
“Once again, Aeroflot has been named the world’s strongest airline brand. The airline’s strong and vast heritage, paired with its constant strive to innovate and improve its strategy, stand it in good stead to put itself in a solid position in the global airline market once international travel restrictions ease.”
The full Brand Finance Russia 50 2021 ranking, additional insights, charts, more information about the methodology, as well as definitions of key terms are available in the Brand Finance Russia 50 2021 report.