Your brand value and how people experience it are moving to be one in the same. This eclipse is fueled by changing expectations and technologically savvy people using social media to quickly express to many others their opinion between what your brand or reputation means and what it actually delivers.
By Jeofrey Bean
It was just two years ago that, for the first time in 13 consecutive years, the answer to the question of which company has the most valuable global brand was not Coca-Cola. It was Apple, according to Interbrand, independent experts in measuring and tracking brand value. Apple’s brand value had increased 28% in the prior 12 months making it one of the top risers in brand value.
The Apple customer and user experience has a lot to do with this. Here is how Interbrand puts it – “. . . Interbrand has a new #1 – Apple. Few brands have enabled so many people to do so much so easily, which is why Apple has legions of adoring fans, as evidenced by the record-breaking launch of the iPhone 5c/5s. For revolutionizing the way we work, play, and communicate – and for mastering the ability to surprise and delight – Apple has set a high bar for aesthetics, simplicity, and ease of use . . .”
Google, another top rise with a 34% annual improvement, is new in the number 2 position for brand value. Interbrand explains – “Google pays attention to what consumers like and don’t like, a big reason why overall sentiment for the brand is positive.”
The ranks of the top risers are completed by Amazon, Facebook and Prada up respectively by 27%, 43% and 30%. Amazon is recognized by Interbrand as “Continually improving the customer experience” while Prada “Is working to effectively integrate digital and physical touch points, better engaging with its consumers.”
During 2014 Apple and Google retained the number one and two positions, each with significant increases in brand valuation over 2013. Experience makers Disney and Amazon in the 13th and 15th top brand positions. And Amazon earning a top rising brand once again.
I am seeing too that many brands with significant positions in this top 100 have lost large values of their brands. I will be watching the results next year to see if there is a relationship between how fast their brand values decline or rise and what direction the customer experience is going for them. Things should happen faster with social media speeding communications of the impact of people’s brand experience. Maybe to the point where bi-annual or quarterly measures will be necessary?
It’s true that the top 100 are large companies, many started as ideas as small companies that grew over time. While you may not be a part of a company as large as any in the top 100 brands, and your focus may be on reputation instead of brand value, Interbrand’s numbers and the overall trends are showing the valuable role customer experience plays in the direction of brand value and the longevity of companies.
Watch up-and-comers like Uber, Square and Tesla. It’s too soon for these companies, and maybe your company too, to be recognized in the measures of independent brand research firms. They are building their brands not solely with products or services, but the total customer experience for an increasing number of technology savvy social media users.
The best, small or large, do this by carefully understanding and improving how people interact with or about their company’s messages, people, processes, products and services. Then they compare this with their brand or reputation promises to make some very important decisions about customer experience.
I’ll be here next month to share with you more about what makes the best in customer experience leadership!
Reference Links
Jeof’s web site and e-mail address
http://www.delmarresearch.com
[email protected]
Jeofrey Bean keynote speaker highlights (3 minute video)
http://www.delmarresearch.com/speaker/
Jeofrey Bean’s Amazon author page
http://www.amazon.com/Jeofrey-Bean/e/B006K2L0XI/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Interbrand’s Best Global Brands Indexes
http://www.bestglobalbrands.com/2014/ranking/
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/2013/Best-Global-Brands-2013.aspx
