Google #1 Brand; Did Millward Brown Wait to See Q1 Before Announcing List?
Monday, April 21st, 2008;
-- Andy Beal |
Here’s something to think about, when perusing the BrandZ Top 100 Most Powerful Brands list. If Google had reported a lousy Q1 last week, would it still have taken the #1 spot?
The list–based on financial clout and brand equity–orders the top ten brands as follows:
- GE
- Microsoft
- Coca-Cola
- China Mobile
- IBM
- Apple
- McDonalds
- Nokia
- Marlboro
Maybe the list was already finalized way before Google’s financial report, but maybe, just maybe, Millward Brown held on to the report until it knew for sure that the company didn’t take a bath in Q1.
Something else to consider? Microsoft’s brand value jumped 29% while Yahoo’s dropped 13%. That appears to negate any argument that a Microsoft deal would devalue Yahoo’s image.
Take a look at the list (pdf) and let me know if anything jumps out at you.
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Category: Research
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April 21st, 2008 at 11:03 am
The MS Yahoo conundrum simply won’t go away with that kind of analysis alone. Recent news releases suggest that MS is loath to hike the offer as it believes that if the deal goes through at whatever price, there will be an exodus of people and at that point of time, the valuation will be what MS believes it is offering now.
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April 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am
China Mobile???? I am sure in China, China Mobile has enormous brand equity (based on population alone, I can see Chinese firms getting a skewed ranking). But let’s be honest, its not a global brand and really looks out of place in this list.
I understand that Millward Brown “identifies the world’s most powerful brands as measured by their dollar value.” but apart from a billion Chinese people is China Mobile at all relevent in anyone’s life?
April 21st, 2008 at 11:27 am
@Dean - I agree, then again I thought for sure there were brands more powerful than Marlboro.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
LOL - yeah Marlboro sticks out like a sore thumb on this list. I’d have thought that Citi, BofA, Yahoo and Nike have a more powerful brand than Marlboro - maybe in the 80s?
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
I think Google will be getting comfortable sitting uptop for a few other lists as well as this one for many more to come.
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April 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 am
I am thinking if Google would consider it as compliment or not…I mean, having the position of top powerfull brand together with several “doubt” brands…
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:01 am
I don’t know what’s China Mobile and Marlboro.
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April 22nd, 2008 at 7:05 am
I agree, this list is a little wonky. How is a cigarette brand on the top 10 list? I can definitely think of other companies that could be in its place.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:59 am
Don’t people outside the US still enjoy smoking?
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
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