Interbrand is a brand consultancy, specializing in areas such as brand strategy, brand analytics, brand valuation, corporate design, digital brand management, packaging design, and naming. Founded in 1974, the company has 24 offices in 17 countries.
A brand name does give a company an edge in today’s world, and the Top Ten brands in Interbrand’s list are proof of that. Now in its 18th year, Interbrand this year looked at “Growth in a Changing World,” and focused their research on three key components: People, Technology, and Brands.
The future of Growth in a Changing World
Interestingly, Interbrand connects the dots between people, technology and a brand in a clear and concise way. For example, a brand or product is what connects us to a business and its technology. “Since brands are the mechanism by which people relate to businesses, they play a powerful role in creating deep and valuable connections,” says Interbrand in their report.
And really, if we think about brands, they are all about people and how they connect to the purpose of the business. That leaves technology and innovations that create the brands. Interbrand puts it this way: ” Merely implementing the latest technology without the brand as a filter misses the opportunity to create a powerful bond between people and business.”
As for innovation, while it is important to a business’s success, it doesn’t always put a company ahead of its competitors. Basically, Brands humanize technology, making it meaningful by yielding experiences that create a lasting value and long-term customer relationship. So while we examine some of the top 10 companies on the list, keep in mind the interrelationship between people, brands, and technology.
The Top Ten Brands globally
While the full list includes 100 brands, from Apple clear down to Lenovo, we will look at only the first 10 companies on the list. Keep in mind also that the top 10 brands hold 42 percent of the Best Global Brands total value. Apple and Google have held the top two positions for five years in a row.
Interbrand values Apple’s brand as worth $184 billion and Google’s at $142 billion. The most valuable UK brand, HSBC, is valued at $10.5 billion and ranked 47th. Microsoft came in third on the list and is worth $80 billion. It is interesting that Coca-Cola made the Top Ten list, coming in at fourth place valued at $70 billion, but keep in mind the value of the brand itself and the high rate of customer satisfaction.
“We are living in one of the most exciting periods of change—societal, technological, industrial—that impacts every aspect of commerce and life,” said Jez Frampton, the global chief executive officer of Interbrand, reports City AM. “In this ever-shifting context, growth becomes more challenging, which is why businesses need brands more than ever. The best global brands understand that brands are the platform for growth.”
