Tech brands lead the world

TECHNOLOGY companies have
dominated the latest annual ranking
of the top 100 global brands.

The list, published by BusinessWeek
and created in partnership with
Interbrand, is a compilation of the
worlds most valuable brands.

The 2005
rankings rewarded companies that
focus ruthlessly on every detail of their
brands, honing simple, cohesive
identities that are consistent in every
product, every market around the world
and every contact with consumers.

Four out of the top ten, and 20 out
of the top 50 are technology or
Internet brands, with Microsoft
maintaining its position at number
two.

Big gainers included Samsung
which, with a brand value calculated
at nearly $15 billion, moves up to
20th place and above Sony for the
first time.

Google is a new entry at 38
following its flotation, while Apple?s
success with the iPod has seen its
brand value grow by 16 per cent in
the past year and propel it to 41st
place. Dell is another technology
brand on the up, gaining four places
to be just behind Samsung at 21.

Big losers include Sony, which drops
eight places to 28, and Hewlett
Packard, which is undergoing a major
restructure following the departure of
controversial boss Carly Fiorina.

The UK is rather thinly represented,
with HSBC at 29 being the highest
and only four more in the top 100. The
US has easily the most.

Brand values were determined
using the method Interbrand
pioneered 17 years ago and has since
used to value more than 3,500
brands.

Value is calculated as the net
present value of the earnings that the
brand is expected to generate and
secure in the future for the time frame
from July 1st, 2004 to June 30th,
2005.

In order to be included in the
top global brands list, a brand had to
be valued at greater than $2.1 billion.
They were selected according to two
criteria. First, the brands had to be
global, generating significant earnings
in the main global markets. Second,
there had to be sufficient marketing
and financial data publicly available
for preparing a reasonable valuation.