Apple cracks top 20 global brands in survey
A new study shows that Apple significantly improved the value of its name brand in the last year, catapulting the brand to No. 20, ahead of companies like American Express, Pepsi and Nike.
The 2009 "Best Global Brands" study from BusinessWeek and Interbrand ranked the top 100 companies for the year. Apple's 2009 brand value was estimated at $15.4 billion, a 12 percent improvement over 2008 when the company took in spot No. 24. Apple's value has risen while other companies have struggled in the face of a global recession.
"The recession won?t take a bite out of this Apple," the study said. "Declining Mac sales and fears for the company?s future without brand visionary Steve Jobs, were outweighed by record high iPod sales, doubling sales for the iPod Touch, and all-time high market share for Mac OS software. Price might be a barrier for cost-conscious consumers, but Apple responded quickly with high margin, low-priced products like the US $99 iPhone and a new, voice-activated iPod Shuffle. The Apple brand is the most supported within its industry, and among the most iconic of relatively young brands in the world."
Like Apple, most of the top global brands are based in the U.S. Coca-Cola took top honors with a $68.7 billion value, followed by IBM ($60.2 billion), Microsoft ($56.6 billion), GE ($47.7 billion) and Finland-based Nokia ($34.8 billion). The Windows software maker dropped 4 percent from last year, but retained its No. 3 position. Coca-Cola has been the No. 1 brand for nine straight years.
Other noteworthy technology companies on the list include Google (7), Intel (9), Hewlett-Packard (11), Cisco (14), Samsung (19), Oracle (24), Sony (29), Canon (33), Dell (35) and Amazon (43).
The top gainers on the list were Google, Amazon and Zara. Falling the most was UBS, from 41 to 72. Banks and auto brands fared the worst, as Merrill Lynch and AIG both fell off the top 100 list.
"The recession has presented brand stewards with the most severe test of their careers," the study said. "Companies have had to adjust rapidly as consumers reexamine their purchases and rethink brand loyalties. Marketing executives are balancing the temptation to chase short-term gains with discounts and promotions against the risk of cheapening their brands over the long haul. Meanwhile, most have considerably smaller budgets with which to reach their customers."
Apple's branding often ranks high in similar surveys. Earlier this month, a report said that the Cupertino, Calif., company is the most admired in all of Asia.
The 2009 "Best Global Brands" study from BusinessWeek and Interbrand ranked the top 100 companies for the year. Apple's 2009 brand value was estimated at $15.4 billion, a 12 percent improvement over 2008 when the company took in spot No. 24. Apple's value has risen while other companies have struggled in the face of a global recession.
"The recession won?t take a bite out of this Apple," the study said. "Declining Mac sales and fears for the company?s future without brand visionary Steve Jobs, were outweighed by record high iPod sales, doubling sales for the iPod Touch, and all-time high market share for Mac OS software. Price might be a barrier for cost-conscious consumers, but Apple responded quickly with high margin, low-priced products like the US $99 iPhone and a new, voice-activated iPod Shuffle. The Apple brand is the most supported within its industry, and among the most iconic of relatively young brands in the world."
Like Apple, most of the top global brands are based in the U.S. Coca-Cola took top honors with a $68.7 billion value, followed by IBM ($60.2 billion), Microsoft ($56.6 billion), GE ($47.7 billion) and Finland-based Nokia ($34.8 billion). The Windows software maker dropped 4 percent from last year, but retained its No. 3 position. Coca-Cola has been the No. 1 brand for nine straight years.
Other noteworthy technology companies on the list include Google (7), Intel (9), Hewlett-Packard (11), Cisco (14), Samsung (19), Oracle (24), Sony (29), Canon (33), Dell (35) and Amazon (43).
The top gainers on the list were Google, Amazon and Zara. Falling the most was UBS, from 41 to 72. Banks and auto brands fared the worst, as Merrill Lynch and AIG both fell off the top 100 list.
"The recession has presented brand stewards with the most severe test of their careers," the study said. "Companies have had to adjust rapidly as consumers reexamine their purchases and rethink brand loyalties. Marketing executives are balancing the temptation to chase short-term gains with discounts and promotions against the risk of cheapening their brands over the long haul. Meanwhile, most have considerably smaller budgets with which to reach their customers."
Apple's branding often ranks high in similar surveys. Earlier this month, a report said that the Cupertino, Calif., company is the most admired in all of Asia.
Comments
"The recession won?t take a bite out of this Apple," the study said. "Declining Mac sales and fears for the company?s future without brand visionary Steve Jobs, were outweighed by record high iPod sales, doubling sales for the iPod Touch, and all-time high market share for Mac OS software.
That last remark isn't true, though. They must mean "all-time high market share for Mac OS X". I seem to recall a time long ago when Macs had a 40+% share. Anyone else?
That last remark isn't true, though. They must mean "all-time high market share for Mac OS X". I seem to recall a time long ago when Macs had a 40+% share. Anyone else?
Yes. That was many moons ago. They likely mean OS X
That last remark isn't true, though. They must mean "all-time high market share for Mac OS X". I seem to recall a time long ago when Macs had a 40+% share. Anyone else?
I think most of the world has forgotten when they were last on top.
When I see IBM @ No. 2 I get confused.
don't look at who's on number 3 or you'll get even more confused
don't look at who's on number 3 or you'll get even more confused
I noticed who's at No. 3, but unlike most her I refuse to play that game.
I think this just demonstrates how broadly you can interpret the term 'brand value'. I don't doubt their reputation, but hardly anyone outside the tech business even knows what Oracle does, yet they are ranked ahead of Nike.
You sort of said what I was going to. It's all a bit to vague frankly.
I think this just demonstrates how broadly you can interpret the term 'brand value'. I don't doubt their reputation, but hardly anyone outside the tech business even knows what Oracle does, yet they are ranked ahead of Nike.
You're exactly right. The value calculation methodology, done by a company called Interbrand is really quite opaque. I went through it carefully, but had trouble figuring it out.
More to the point, their "selection criteria" says:
01 There must be substantial publicly available financial data
02 The brand must have at least one-third of revenues outside of its country-of-origin
03 The brand must be a market-facing brand
04 The Economic Value Added (EVA) must be positive
05 The brand must not have a purely B2B single audience with no wider public profile and awareness
I have a hard time imagining that IBM and Oracle pass their own criterion #05? And, certainly during the 2008-09 period, many of the companies mentioned (e.g., Sony, Coca Cola, Samsung) would badly fail criterion #04?
In which case Apple should be lower in the ranking than say, Microsoft, if you rank the quality of their products?
Another interesting fact is that Apple is mentioned in a number of others' summaries, by name or product type. Microsoft is 'advertising against Apple' and Samsung is creating an App Store and Nokia is, and HP is... etc etc. Judging by that, Apple should be number one!
All just a bit of stuff and nonsense really.
05 The brand must not have a purely B2B single audience with no wider public profile and awareness
I have a hard time imagining that IBM and Oracle pass their own criterion #05?
I don't know about Oracle but IBM sell a surprising amount of software to consumers.
Micro$ucks at #3 tells me that this survey measures nothing but name recognition.
To be fair having your computers over 80% of the words (computer) desks is a lot more than simply name recognition - though I get your point. This survey's results seem weird on the whole.
Listen to the podcast, it says that, in the case of Coca Cola, all it makes is sugar water, so most of the value is in the brand..
In which case Apple should be lower in the ranking than say, Microsoft, if you rank the quality of their products?
Another interesting fact is that Apple is mentioned in a number of others' summaries, by name or product type. Microsoft is 'advertising against Apple' and Samsung is creating an App Store and Nokia is, and HP is... etc etc. Judging by that, Apple should be number one!
All just a bit of stuff and nonsense really.
I don't know about them being no.1, but number 20 seems pretty high.
Also, I don't buy the argument that all Coca Cola make is sugared water. It's like saying the majority of Nike's product are foot covers. Coca Cola tastes good, it's more than "only" branding.
Sugar water is #1? Isn't that what they use to clean crude oil of birds?
That ain't sugar christopher - that's corn! It's what has given us our blimpie nation- high fructose corn syrup. Worse than cigarettes for your health. The main cause of all the health problems we have.
Sugar water is #1? Isn't that what they use to clean crude oil of birds?
That would be Dawn.
That ain't sugar christopher - that's corn! It's what has given us our blimpie nation- high fructose corn syrup. Worse than cigarettes for your health. The main cause of all the health problems we have.
You're right! I forgot about corn syrup replacing sugar in Coke and a lot of other products, too.
I read obesity costs the US government $50/pound in health care costs!
If you want to solve the health care crisis.....put down that fork!
Welcome to the United States of Fried Food!
Welcome to the United States of Fried Food!
Fried food! Where, where........
Fried food! Where, where........
PS. Sorry off topic!