Engen has again been voted the ‘Coolest Petroleum Brand’ in the Sunday Times Generation Next awards. This is the tenth consecutive year that South Africa’s youth have backed Engen, reaffirming the company’s brand leadership and market strength.
The Sunday Times Generation Next is the leading annual youth brand preference and consumer behaviour survey. It tracks consumer behaviour and preferences of South Africans aged 8 to 23 – a highly influential segment of the market.
With youth development playing a central role in Engen’s social investment and sponsorship initiatives, the company remains dedicated to positively engaging and contributing to the future success of young South Africans. This is done primarily through the Engen Maths and Science Schools, Engen KlevaKidz Paraffin Safety, and a partnership with Caring4Girls to assist schoolgirls with feminine hygiene.
Seelan Naidoo, Engen General Manager: Retail, said that the results of Sunday Times Generation Next validates Engen’s investment and marketing focus. ‘We are honoured to once again receive this award and want to thank our young customers for choosing us as the ‘Coolest Petroleum Brand’. While it is evident that we are staying current in today’s market, we remain humbled by the award.’
In 2018, Engen built 15 new service stations in South Africa, a record for the company. It also added 20 new Quickshops to its network in the year and installed LED lighting at 112 sites, ensuring Engen service stations offer a welcoming and safe appearance to customers.
In 2019, another aggressive new site build programme is planned, especially in growth areas where Engen is typically under-represented. Furthermore, Engen’s exclusive agreement with eBucks, one of South Africa largest loyalty programmes, continues to go from strength to strength.
‘Engen is very excited to see our network flourishing. Convenience and customer service remain key determinants of success in our industry,’ commented Naidoo. ‘Staying relevant is a priority and we continue to focus on consistently reinvigorating the brand and investing much effort into remaining an attractive stop-over for both the youth and adults. As a brand, it is important for Engen to move into exciting, innovative spaces where we can engage customers and interact with them.’
Looking ahead, Engen will continue to focus on the rollout of signature convenience offerings across its network, including fast food and restaurant partnerships, Wi-Fi, alternate payment partnerships and a range of other exciting innovations. After a successful pilot on 17 Engen forecourts last year, Engen and Krispy Kreme have sweetened the deal further with plans to roll out to another 105 service stations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
