Winning steps in the world of Hungarian brands

Tamás Barna
managing director
Republic Group

It is inspiring when a brand authentically represents the values that consumers emotionally resonate with, and reacts in time to the trends that move the masses around the world. In 2024 we hosted our first BrandFestival in Berlin, and learned a lot about the international market. This knowledge can be a key factor in the life of Hungarian brands, and a unique advantage for Republic Group’s clients. In the future omnichannel communication, personalised solutions provided by AI and consumer data driven insights will play an even bigger role.//

Otília Dörnyei
consumer and
retail director
Inspira Research

A Hungarian brand is valuable because it gives something extra to the consumer. What this extra means to them can be explored by a market researcher. There is no average consumer, so there is no point in making plans with them in mind. Today a 22-year-old Generation Z consumer is either living at home, in a dormitory or in a rented flat. Are their food consumption habits similar? It would be key to find out for which sub-group buying Hungarian products is important. Brand messages need to be relevant too.  //

We take it seriously!

Zsuzsanna Hermann
owner-editor-in-chief
Trade magazin

Anyone who flicks through the pages of Trade magazin and takes a look at our topics will clearly see how important environmental sustainability and social responsibility are to us. We are convinced that ESG-based operations and corporate governance will improve the reputation of brands and lower the risk of losing customer trust. I believe that brands that embrace ESG principles will be better able to adapt to the changing market environment and regulatory requirements. Projects that follow this approach will always have the support of our magazine, because for us ESG isn’t a set of rules, but a mindset to follow. More and more MagyarBrands award winners have a similar attitude.//

Service and customer experience

György Káli
service designer
Humanize Studio

International and national research reveal that consumers increasingly prefer brands that deliver on their promises, provide quality service and offer personalised experiences. Local brands are preferred by consumers over international competitors. At the same time the added value from services and products helps to differentiate brands. This is where experience design becomes important: it seeks to create memorable experience through interactions with customers at every point in the buying process. //

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Zsófia Lakatos
managing director
Emerald Public Relations

A brand – be it Hungarian or international – is attractive if it represents quality and credibility. We trust it, we believe that if we choose that brand, it will deliver the quality we are used to and won’t let us down. In the case of Hungarian brands there is the additional factor of national consciousness and pride too. Customer trust isn’t a game, it is easy to lose and almost impossible to regain. The easiest way to lose it is to lie or misbehave – the latter issue belongs to the domain of ESG. Consumers know and feel it when a brand is honest and behaves well, and smart brands help consumers to learn about their good behaviour, e.g. their sustainability efforts. //

Gabriella Liptay
marketing and communications
director
KPMG

Brands have long recognised that they need to be more than just a product or service, and they should think in terms of communities when analysing customer profiles. The various ESG-related regulations and EU directives will definitely influence brand communication, but this shouldn’t be seen as a change in brand strategy; it shouldn’t be left to marketing managers or the communication department to iron out ESG issues, as this way of thinking and approach ought to become part of the overall business process and strategy. //

Kázmér Nyomárkai
editor-in-chief
K&K Magazin

Because it is important that we are Hungarians, even in the 21st century. In addition to our common language, we have shared traditions and history. Part of this is that we have our own brands, which contribute to us belonging together. If we take a look at the best-known and most successful Hungarian brands, we can see that many of them haven’t been in Hungarian ownership for a long time. It is a global trend to wear the same pair of jeans, the same sneakers and to eat the same food, from New York to Sofia, but if we max this out there will be nothing left of who we are. So let’s keep our fingers crossed and buy Hungarian brands.  //

Dr. János Serényi
owner, managing director
Értéktrend Consulting

Today’s customer environment is changing faster than ever before. Excellent products and services alone are no longer enough. Customers demand a new experience regularly and a personal, “friendly” relationship. Around the world more and more business leaders are saying that for them digitalisation is driving everything. Members of the MagyarBrands jury have seen that the most successful brand builders are of a somewhat different opinion: sometimes excessive digitalisation can alienate customers. A human brand voice is often worth far more than the perfect technological solution.  //

Dr. Gedeon Totth
head of institute, head of faculty
college lecturer
Budapesti Business
School

Experience is that big, recognised and loved brands remain popular in times of inflation and may even regain their original positions after a minor setback. The role of private labels will continue to strengthen for a number of reasons. On the one hand, retail chains are increasingly trying to profit from the latest trends and on the other hand, private label strategy is becoming more and more similar to manufacturer brand building, conceptually. I am convinced that the ESG law will be integrated into communication and at first everyone will push it hard, so it will cause a feeling of saturation in many, thinking less would be more. //