This best 100 brand list comes from Interbrand 2010 Global brand report. The report ranks and values the top 100 brands in the world. While carrying out the survey, Interbrand uses many criteria which among other things are how a brand touches and benefits an organization, is it attracting the best talent from the market, how trustworthy it is for the customers and how well does it match the ever changing customer expectations.
In this blogpost, against each top ranked brand I added my notes (mostly focusing on advertising…or rather history of it or just some thoughts).
This post will have 10 parts. Each part has 10 brands. This is Part 1
1. Coca Cola
Coca-Cola is a sublimated spirit of the idea called America. An honest brand, part of your and my life…at various facets of life.
With people from more than 200 countries downing Coca-Cola every day, no wonder that it has become the most valuable, most recognized, most trusted and most charismatic brand on this planet.
Clever marketing and advertising has always been forte of the brand.
As the charismatic American beauty, Coca-Cola girl’s journey has been continuing for more than 100 years. The sparkling and effervescent appeal of Coca-Cola girl which so symbolizes the appeal of the brand, has gone from strength to strength over the years
2. IBM
Many believe that (it may serve as fodder for classroom discussions, coffee talks) Apple’s ‘1984 revolution’ary advertising led IBM to bring Chaplin mime for its PCjr campaign. The fact is, IBM started the advertising campaign in 1981 to promote its microcomputers, good three years ahead of Apple.
The ad agency, Lord, Geller, Federico, and Einstein chose Charles Chaplin’s tramp (through a mime artist) as spokesperson after IBM bought the required legal rights from Chaplin family. The first ad was released by the name of “The House” in 1981.
In February of 1984, right after the Apple’s super hit super bowl “Revolution” commercial, IBM once again launched Chaplin mime, but this time for personal computers.
IBM Charlie Chaplin television commercial
3. Microsoft
In 1997, Microsoft inked an exclusive deal with Digg through which Microsoft becomes the site’s exclusive provider of display and contextual advertising.
4. Google
Google has revolutionized the ad space of the planet in every possible way. Mostly it acts as a channel partner between advertiser and publisher. Very seldom do I remember seeing an ad or commercial from the Mountain View company. Here’s one though, meant for Super Bowl, which is not earth shockingly creative, as expected, its plain vanilla and effective, like Google home page. Nice ad, among other things it also tells you how to search, “impress a French girl.”
Google television commercial
Google television commercial
5. GE
Supposedly America’s biggest and oldest corporate giant, conglomerate GE, last year launched a whopping $6 billion initiative during Olympics. The project was called Healthymagination, it was designed to reduce health costs, improve access and improve quality globally. It publicizes G.E.’s role in the world of doctors and hospitals. More than business focused advertising, this campaign emphasized GE’s broader role in health care. This is what GE has this to say about the campaign:
“It’s GE’s commitment to making sustainable health a reality, beginning today.
In the past few years, our ecomagination commitment has applied our scale and innovation toward environmental challenged. Now, in that same spirit, healthymagination will offer dramatic new investments toward achieveing sustainable health. It’s all part of our dedication to tackling the world’s toughest challenges.
But addressing an issue this big — and this important — can’t be done alone. So we are extending invitations to partners with a similar passion and vision to make it happen.”
6. McDonalds
For McDonalds’ PR guys, there are steady streams of news concerning obesity with McDonalds. But that does not take away the unimaginable consumer connect the brand enjoys. Just search, McDonalds in Flickr, and you will have to swim through more than 350,000 results. And I’m not counting Google images or Facebooks or MySpaces. For decades, McD has believed in heavy duty advertisements. The brand is omnipresent in all kinds of mediums. TV, Radio, Print, Online, billboards, events, subliminal, you name it.
7. Intel
During the later part of 80’s Intel has not much brand awareness. In 1989, marketing manager at Intel, Dennis Carter started a campaign which talked about 386SX processor. The campaign was successful and competitors started copying the idea, as “386SX” was mere a code number for the chip and was not a trademark for the company.
In 1991, Carter and his advertising agency Dahllin, Smith & White came up with this stronger and distinct advertising campaign which changed the way we all look at Intel. They coined the term, “Intel Inside,” and the rest is history. The campaign was first launched as a co-operative program offering rebate to its clients.
Today, Intel spends billions of dollars globally on advertising. And much of its money goes out to similar co-op programs.
First Intel Inside advertisement
8. Nokia
Nokia low end phones are the largest selling phones in the world. And much of its advertising and marketing messages are targeting low end customers (mostly a phenomenon in developing countries). In countries like Vietnam, China, India , to these low end users, Nokia shows a mobile phone can improve their life style and also adds value.
In 2008, Nokia sold 4 out of 10 mobile phones sold globally. Since then, though, booming Smartphone segment (BlackBerry, Apple) and Google Android operating system brought the ratio down, Nokia is still recognized as an honest and trusted brand than its competitors.
Nokia Ad for India
9. Disney
Disney traditionally stands for children. Parents trust Disney. It’s fine for kids, whether it’s a DVD or a lunch box. About subliminal messages controversy, I think this is too much, some people are making mole out of hill. But on some occasions, it’s really shocking.
Disney’s now famous “I’m going to Disney World” and “I’m going to Disneyland” advertisements were released in 1987 and aired during Super Bowl. These commercials generally star popular NFL players.
10. HP
Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett created the Hewlett Packard Company on January 1, 1939 with a $538 working capital. The small company made a profit of $1563 by the end of the year. Reason enough to finance the first advertisement in the “ELECTRONICS” Magazine.
The product, HP 200A audio oscillator, was a commercial hit. Walt Disney ordered eight of them for the production of the movie “Fantasia.”
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