Canadian BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has been struggling financially with earlier reports revealing it is set to lay-off 2,000 employees globally.
The financial woes were further brought to prominence following resignation of two of RIM’s senior executives — chief legal officer and head of global sales — within a week of each other.
With waning market share in Europe, North and South America and Asia, it all appears the end is nigh for RIM, except the opposite is true in Africa, and specifically South Africa – as proved by the recent Sunday Times Generation Next Brand Survey among the South African youth.
The Sunday Times Generation Next 2012 Awards follow a survey of more than 5,000 South African youth aged between 8 and 22 years.
The youth share their opinions on who and what they found the coolest brands. Award categories range from the “Coolest Bank” to the “Coolest Local (South African) Comedian”.
BlackBerry won the “Coolest Cell Phone”, “Coolest High-Tech Gadget” categories and the “Coolest Brand Overall 2012” category showing that despite its financial troubles experienced globally, it is still perceived as a must-have brand among the South African youth.
RIM’s marketing director Larnie Visser expressed her delight at BlackBerry’s uptake among the youth saying the awards reflected on how the BlackBerry “has become an indispensable social tool and lifestyle device for active, connected young South Africans.”
“We would like to thank our young BlackBerry customers for their continued loyalty,” said Visser.
It remains to be seen whether Blackberry’s financial troubles and rumoured staff lay-offs will negatively affect their success in Africa.
The BBC last week reported RIM had lost financial ground as its traditional business clients had switched to iPhones or Android phones.
The previous financial year saw RIM make a net profit of US$1.2 billion down from $3.4 billion in the preceding year.
The BlackBerry maker was at one time heralded as the fastest growing companies in the world. According to the BBC reprts, the phone manufacturer has since struggled to keep up with the smartphone market, including Apple’s iPhone and handsets running on Google’s Android operating system.
RIM has in addition struggled to gain a foothold in the table market.
RIM’s launch of Blackberry 10, planned later this year, and a new operating system, are anticipated to be crucial to its turnaround plan.
