The Romanian edition of the "Business Week" magazine published in its December issue the ranking of Romanian brands judging by their financial value.

With an estimated brand value of EUR 387.4 million, Dacia ranks topmost in this classification compiled by D&D Research and Brandient.

The survey is based on the results obtained by the Romanian companies in 2005 in 22 fields of activity. It takes into consideration several criteria, such as financial strength, the outlook on these companies and brands, category risk, royalty and brand equity index.

Banca Comerciala Romana comes in second in the ranking, with a brand value of EUR 355.6 million, followed by BRD Groupe Société Générale, with a brand value of EUR 208.3 million.

Petrom (company opreating in the oil feild) ranks fourth, with a brand value of EUR 86.4 million, while the fifth place belongs to the medicine-selling company Sensiblu (EUR 82 million).

The other Romanian brands in top ten include: Rompetrol (oil) - EUR 72.5 million, Cristim (delicatessen) - EUR 62.8 million, Asirom insurance company - EUR 60.9 million, Altex (home appliances) - EUR 59.4 million and Domo (home appliances) - EUR 41.4 million.

"Some 10,000 questionnaires have been handed out in both rural and urban areas. For this survey, we have chosen 206 Romanian brands out of the 3,700 brands existing on the market", stated Dragos Iliescu, quantitative research manager with D&D Research.

According to Aneta Bogdan, representative of the Brandient consulting firm, the conclusion following the analysis of Top 50 is that "Romanians living in 2006 eat a lot, take loans, drive Dacias and drink gallons of beer".