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Superbrand Index 2012 - a review of the top 10 brands including Rolex, Coca-Cola and Google

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

February 28, 2012 | 5 min read

Yesterday, this year's list of the top 200 Superbrands was announced, with Rolex, Coca-Cola, Google, Mercdes-Benz and the BBC, making the top five. Elly Woolston, founder of {united} marketing takes a look at the full top 10, and reviews why each brand deserves to be in such illustrious company this year.

1. Rolex

Rolex wasn’t the most obvious brand to reach number one but nonetheless deserving. The brand remains synonymous with luxury, choosing not to back down on this positioning for the lure of sales: it is the only brand to focus solely on watchmaking. After all, you cannot buy a Rolex watch in the virtual world! It is built on a robust beliefs system, where the brand’s beliefs act as the positive, human convictions that form its foundations. Consumers want to believe in the brand’s own values and Rolex is able to access their beliefs to fuel the higher purpose that differentiates Rolex from others in the minds of consumers, building brand loyalty.

2. Coca-Cola

Is there anyone reading this who doesn't know what Coca-Cola is? It is the world's most famous and widely available brand. Coca-Cola are brilliant at making feel good advertising that gets consumers emotionally attached to the brand, keeping them at the heart of their marketing system. Despite Coca-Cola’s “Happiness” philosophy, they have weathered the recession by stripping the proposition back to focus just on Coke, Diet Coke and Coke Zero.

3. Google

Up to now Google hasn’t needed to commission major brand campaigns because it’s part of the worldwide human vernacular for search. I’d like to see Google look further into establishing its true beliefs - the brand does not seem to know what these are yet. After all, Google is no longer just synonymous with search, it pertains to a plethora of services in consumers’ lives – Android, Google Docs, Google Chrome, social networking – it is endless. Knowing what they stand for will help Google to ensure deeper resonance with consumers.

4. Mercedes Benz

Mercedes holds its own as one of the world's most prestigious luxury brands and the “three-pointed star” arguably carries more status than any of its competitors. Beyond this Mercedes-Benz demonstrates how a luxury motor brand can use social media to enhance its brand equity among fans, whilst also engaging them with the products and the brand itself.

5. BBC

The world’s best known broadcasting brand has a strong hold on what it intends to be: provide rich content that fits into every part of a person’s lifestyle via mediums that are accessible at any time. The BBC has gathered strong consumer support by engaging with the public’s needs, for example its willingness to listen to social media groundswell when supporters of BBC 6 Music tried to save it from closure.

6. BMW

BMW have built an intangible attribute on “The joy of driving”, which connects emotionally with consumers by building an aspirational reflection of who we believe we are or want to be. BMW is selling a brand, not just cars. Just like Apple doesn’t talk about its iPad in terms of technology.

7. Duracell

Duracell hasn’t to my knowledge done anything particularly exciting in recent times but the Duracell Bunny has become an enduring symbol of the brand. Duracell has also successfully carved out a strong positioning on reliability despite rival Energizer creating its own Bunny mascot.

8. Dulux

I am sure I am not the only one that thinks of cute sheepdogs when thinking about Dulux, or indeed vice versa. And Dulux’s new strapline, “Let’s colour” will resonate with the public because it is built on strong beliefs that paint can transform people’s lifestyles.

9. Jaguar

I am least inspired by Jaguar - it is this brand that I feel is not as in tune as the other motor manufacturers. Its new proposition themed ‘Alive’ has aspirational connotations but is it quite similar to BMW’s proposition? Only time will tell.

10. Royal Doulton

Royal Doulton is a great example of a brand getting back in tune with 'people of today' and their values by widening its audience.

Google Dulux Coca-Cola

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