All of the companies making Interbrand‘s new list of the world’s most valuable brands have made big strides in applying Big Data to marketing outreach. The consultancy credited the Top 100 for “spending the time and money required to understand the role their brand plays in consumers’ lives–and they are strategically weaving their brand proposition into every interaction.”
Tech brands scored big in Interbrand’s annual ranking, with Apple rising six places to No. 2 and Facebook entering the list for the first time at No. 69. Google (No. 4) overcame Microsoft (No. 5) for the first time based on a 26% rise in its valuation. The worth of the Google brand was estimated at $69.7 billion, not far behind the $77.8 billion registered by the No. 1 brand, Coca-Cola.
New York-based Interbrands attaches dollar figures to top brands using a rating system that weighs financial performance, influence with consumers, and ability to command a premium price and deliver earnings to a company’s bottom line.
Outstanding target marketing played a key role in determining the worth of global brands this year. In a press release announcing the listing, Interbrand CEO Jez Frampton noted that top 100 brands are “leading the way by listening to consumers…and delivering a seamless and holistic brand experience across and ever-evolving range of touchpoints.”
Facebook’s debut on the list was made possible by its IPO, which gave Interbrand access to financial information about the social media giant for the first time. Interbrand gave high marks to Facebook for its growth and influence in developing markets.
Ralph Lauren (No. 91) returned to the list following a three-year absence. Interbrand singled out the brand for improved integrated marketing, praising its “highly innovative communication patterns and consistency across all touchpoints and formats.”
Scoring the biggest rise in brand value was Apple, whose worth was set at $76.5 billion, a 129% increase from last year. The company’s stalwart protection of its intellectual property and the brand’s emotional connection to consumers figured heavily in Interbrand’s valuation .
Also registering big rises in value were Amazon (+46%) based on the introductions of the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire, Samsung (+40%) for becoming the global leader in smartphone shipments, and Nissan (+36%), which won points for design innovative designs such as that employed in the new Nissan Juke.
