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Break Through Branding Clutter

Does your brand stand out in the crowded marketplace?  Does your brand message stand out from the myriad of messages that clutter consumers’ minds each day?  In order to ensure your brand is noticed and remembered amidst the clutter, you have to be certain that it stands for something specific.  In other words, it needs to offer a unique value proposition.

Truth be told, I dislike the buzz phrase “unique value proposition” because I think it’s overused.  However, I’m using it here since it actually does apply.  What makes your brand unique and what makes it distinctly different from other brands available to consumers?  What makes your message more important than all the other messages customers hear? [Read more…] about Break Through Branding Clutter

Too Much Teleprompter? Can the Crutch Dilute Your Message?

United States President Barack Obama has been criticized of late for his overuse of the teleprompter, the device which aids him as he offers his riveting speeches and ongoing campaign of change for America. Even in the midst of a jostled economy and uncertain end, there is still criticism and focus on those things that can be considered non-essential or mundane at best. Can a teleprompter really be overused?

Some of the greatest speeches ever given by U.S. Presidents have not been without the aid of notes and teleprompters. They are quite handy if the orator forgets his lines or train of thought. Not to mention the awkwardness that can result if he loses his place in his paper notes, having not given the teleprompter a chance. The actual device itself is quite useful but has many organizations and individuals in a quandary because they feel as if Mr. Obama relies on it too much. The feeling is that he is not really “connecting” to the American people and talking to them instead of at them. CEO’s and other heads of companies use this media tool quite effectively as well to convey their own messages. But is this little contraption over-used and over-rated?

The media wants to get the news and developments first-hand, when-they-happen and not miss one complete iota of information that can be beneficial to their audiences. They want fresh, natural and relaxed news that they can use to report the news and entertainment. Perhaps the teleprompter hinders that? Maybe they are used a little too much and make the person appear less than genuine or that they are delivering a “canned” message?

CEO’s can and should use notes, teleprompters or any other aids they may need to effectively convey their message, but never to a point where their messages may appear less than genuine. This is where they may lose their audiences interest and sometimes even their own credibility. Delivering a speech should be with facts of course, but always, always from the heart.

Does your company’s CEO use teleprompters or any other speech aids? Does Obama’s use of his teleprompter affect you in any way or make you believe him less?

Landor Associates Releases Annual Brand Survey Results

2009_calendar_SeptLandor Associates conducts a survey each year to learn more about what marketers and consumers think about brands, branding trends, and more.  The 2009 survey results are in, and they definitely reaffirm what most marketers have believed to be true throughout the year.

For example, the most coveted brand of 2009 and the past decade according to the survey results is Google.  Given the fact that in the first decade of the 21st century, Google became the search engine, launched a Web browser, rolled out dozens of free applications and acquired even more, it’s no wonder that Google is so strong.

Furthermore, survey respondents identified the digital era as the one thing that impacted their lives more than anything else over the past decade.  Again, this is not surprising considering the fact that the social Web was really just starting to catch on in the beginning of the decade.  Look at where we’ve gotten so fast.  Today, we rely on the quick spreading of information and discussing that information via the tools of the social Web like blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and more.  Major news events have even been covered in greater depth through the social Web than through traditional media (think of the death of Michael Jackson, which broke on the TMZ.com blog or the spreading of information from inside Iran after the 2009 Iran Election via Twitter).  The world changed significantly during the first decade of the 21st century thanks to the social Web.  Interestingly, the survey also found that 75% of respondents preferred Facebook over other social networking tools.

Some of the most important issues to survey respondents during the past decade include the environment and green issues as well as the economy, both of which directly affect their buying habits and lifestyles.

While none of these findings are new revelations, they do reaffirm marketers’ views that digital and social media are integral components in the future of branding and marketing.  If you don’t already have a digital and social media strategy for your brand, make 2010 the year that you get on board before you find your brand left behind.

Image: Flickr

Apple Bumps Coca-Cola from Top Spot as World’s Most Valuable Brand

apple logo apple storeThe Top 100 Global Brands 2013 list from Interbrand has been released and Apple has ended the 13-year run Coca-Cola enjoyed in the #1 spot. In fact, Coca-Cola fell to third place on the list of the most valuable global brands in 2013, behind Apple and Google.

Both Apple and Google were top risers in the 2013 list, with estimated value growth rates of 28% and 24%, respectively. Coca-Cola only experienced a 2% growth in value. However, the biggest growth in brand value was experienced by Facebook. Ranking at #52 (up from #69 in 2012), Facebook’s brand value rose by 43% to $7.7 billion. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nokia dropped from #19 in 2012 to #57 in 2013 with a brand value that dropped by 65% to $7.4 billion.

In terms of positions on this list, Apple moved up from #2 in 2012 (#8 in 2011), and Google climbed from #4 in 2012 (also #4 in 2011). Looking back even further, Apple didn’t even make the top 10 in the 2008 list (#24) while Google ranked in tenth place. But let’s go back even further. In 2000, when the list of the top 100 global brands was first published, Coca-Cola was in the top spot, but Apple was ranked #36 and Google didn’t make the list at all.

The top 10 global brands of 2013 are:

  1. Apple = $98.3 billion brand value
  2. Google = $93.3 billion brand value
  3. Coca-Cola = $79.2 billion brand value
  4. IBM = $78.8 billion brand value
  5. Microsoft – $59.5 billion brand value
  6. GE = $46.9 billion brand value
  7. McDonald’s = $42.0 billion brand value
  8. Samsung = $39.6 billion brand value
  9. Intel = $37.3 billion brand value
  10. Toyota = $35.3 billion brand value

Today, the top 10 global brands according to the Interbrand report are primarily technology brands (5 out of 10). However, tech brands aren’t the most common sector seen on this year’s list. That honor goes to the automotive sector. Here is a breakdown of the number of brands in each sector that made it on the list of the top 100 global brands of 2013:

  • Automotive = 14 brands
  • Technology = 12 brands
  • FMCG = 12 brands
  • Financial Services = 11 brands
  • Alcohol = 7 brands
  • Luxury = 7 brands
  • Electronics = 6 brands
  • Diversified = 5 brands
  • Apparel = 4 brands
  • Beverages = 4 brands
  • Media = 4 brands
  • Restaurants = 4 brands
  • Business Services = 3 brands
  • Retail = 2 brands
  • Sporting Goods = 2 brands
  • Energy = 1 brand
  • Home Furnishings = 1 brand
  • Transportation = 1 brand

Overall, U.S. brands dominate the list with 57 followed by Europe and Africa with 33. Ten brands on the list are from Asia. You can follow the link above to view the full report, interactive charts, and more.

Image: Plasticpeople

Top 100 Global Brands of 2011

Interbrand released its top 100 global brands of 2011 report, and Coca-Cola took the top spot for the 12th year running with the brand valued at $71.9 billion. IBM came in second, and Microsoft rounded out the top three.

When it comes to the biggest brand value gain — Apple stole the title with a 58% increase in brand value. Amazon also performed well with a 32% jump in brand value, and Google experienced a 27% increase.

On the flip side, big losers in terms of brand value on the 2011 list include Nokia, which experienced a 15% decrease in brand value, and Nintendo, which suffered from increased competition leading to a 14% drop in brand value.

The breakdown of brands by sector in the list of the top 100 global brands is as follows:

  • Electronics = 14 brands
  • Financial Services = 14 brands
  • Automotive = 12 brands
  • FMCG = 11 brands
  • Alcohol = 7 brands
  • Luxury = 7 brands
  • Business Services = 5 brands
  • Diversified = 5 brands
  • Internet Services = 4 brands
  • Beverages = 4 brands
  • Restaurants = 4 brands
  • Apparel = 3 brands
  • Media = 3 brands
  • Computer Software = 2 brands
  • Sporting Goods = 2 brands
  • Energy = 1 brand
  • Home Furnishings = 1 brand
  • Transportation = 1 brand

The top 100 global brands are primarily American brands. When looking at brand value by region, 52 of the brands on the list are from the Americas, 38 brands are from Europe and Africa, and 10 brands are from Asia Pacific.

Interbrand develops its annual global brand ranking report by evaluating brand financial performance, the brand’s effect on consumer purchase decisions, and the brand’s strength relative to its ability to continue earning money for the company in the future.

The leading 50 brands in the top 100 global brands of 2011 according to Interbrand are:

  1. Coca-Cola = $71.9 billion
  2. IBM= $69.9 billion
  3. Microsoft = $59.0 billion
  4. Google = $55.2 billion
  5. GE = $42.8 billion
  6. McDonald’s = $35.6 billion
  7. Intel = $35.2 billion
  8. Apple = $33.5 billion
  9. Disney = $29.0 billion
  10. Hewlett-Packard = $28.5 billion
  11. Toyota = $27.8 billion
  12. Mercedes-Benz = $27.4 billion
  13. Cisco = $25.3 billion
  14. Nokia = $25.1 billion
  15. BMW = $24.6 billion
  16. Gillette = $24.0 billion
  17. Samsung = $23.4 billion
  18. Louis Vuitton = $23.2 billion
  19. Honda = $19.4 billion
  20. Oracle = $17.3 billion
  21. H&M = $16.5 billion
  22. Pepsi = $14.6 billion
  23. American Express = $14.6 billion
  24. SAP = $14.5 billion
  25. Nike = $14.5 billion
  26. Amazon.com = $12.8 billion
  27. UPS = $12.5 billion
  28. J.P. Morgan = $12.4 billion
  29. Budweiser = $12.3 billion
  30. Nescafe = $12.1 billion
  31. Ikea = $11.9 billion
  32. HSBC = $11.8 billion
  33. Canon = $11.7 billion
  34. Kellogg’s = $11.4 billion
  35. Sony = $9.9 billion
  36. eBay = $9.8 billion
  37. Thomson Reuters = $9.5 billion
  38. Goldman Sachs = $9.1 billion
  39. Gucci = $8.8 billion
  40. L’Oreal = $8.7 billion
  41. Philips = $8.7 billion
  42. Citi = $8.6 billion
  43. Dell = $8.3 billion
  44. Zara = $8.1 billion
  45. Accenture = $8.0 billion
  46. Siemens = $7.9 billion
  47. Volkswagen = $7.9 billion
  48. Nintendo = $7.7 billion
  49. Heinz = $7.6 billion
  50. Ford = $7.5 billion

You can see the complete top 100 global brands of 2011 list here, and read more about the methodology behind Interbrand’s annual brand ranking here.

What do you think about this list? Do any brands surprise you? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Image: Interbrand

10 Most Influential Brands in Canada

canada flagWe often hear about the most influential brands in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EU5, but what are the most influential brands in Canada? According to a survey of internet users by Ipsos Reid and the Institute of Communication Agencies, digital brands lead the way.

Emarketer explains that the study asked internet users in Canada to rate brands based on five criteria: engagement, presence, trustworthiness, leading edge, and corporate citizenship. The top 10 most influential brands according to Internet users in Canada are:

  1. Google
  2. Microsoft
  3. Apple
  4. Facebook
  5. Walmart
  6. VISA
  7. YouTube
  8. Tim Hortons
  9. AIR MILES
  10. Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC)

50% of the brands in the list of the top 10 most influential brands in Canada are digital and technology companies. With that in mind, it’s interesting to compare these results to the list of the most valuable brands in the world according to Brandz. In 2012, 40% of the top 10 most valuable brands were in the digital and technology industry:

  1. Apple
  2. IBM
  3. Google
  4. McDonald’s
  5. Microsoft
  6. Coca-Cola
  7. Marlboro
  8. AT&T
  9. Verizon
  10. China Mobile

And let’s take a look at how the most influential brands in Canada compare to the best global brands of 2012 according to Interbrand. In this list, 50% of the top ten brands are in the digital and technology industries:

  1. Coca-Cola
  2. Apple
  3. IBM
  4. Google
  5. Microsoft
  6. GE
  7. McDonald’s
  8. Intel
  9. Samsung
  10. Toyota

One thing is certain, digital and technology brands are powerful and influential both around the world and in key markets across the globe. Technology is a vital part of consumers’ lives these days, so it’s not surprising to see so many technology and digital brands in these lists of leading brands. However, it is interesting to see the same brands appear on these lists again and again, year after year, in varied regions, and among diverse audience segments.

These are the brands to watch, but just as we’ve watched them rise to the powerful positions of consumer influence that they hold now, most lifecycles follow the traditional bell curve, which means the good times can only last for so long. Some of these brands are already on the decline in terms of sales, but their power and influence hasn’t waned significantly yet.

One thing is for certain, brand marketers should keep an eye on these brands to benchmark now and in the future. They hold the positions you want your brand to hold. Learn from them.

Image: Rob Blissett