A business based on brand is, very simply, a business primed for success, said David D'Alessandro, the former CEO of John Hancock Financial Services and author of three best-selling business books. As rightly said, it is brand dominance that will set a company or organization apart from its competitors.
An annual report released earlier this month by Interbrand, a global branding consultancy, has listed the world's 100 most valuable brands for 2012. The factors considered by Interbrand as key contributors to a brand value are:
• The financial performance of the branded products or service• The role the brand plays in influencing consumer choice• The strength the brand has to command a premium price, or secure earnings for the company.
According to Interbrand's 2012 Best Global Brands report, beverage giant Coca-Cola has retained its No.1 slot yet again this year while technology giant Apple has moved up six spots from last year's ranking - from No.8 up to No.2.
There are also new entrants like Pampers (at No.34), Facebook (at No.69), Prada (at No.84), Kia (at No.87), Ralph Lauren (at No.91) and MasterCard (at No.94) that have made it into this year's top 100 global brands in the world, adds the report.
There are six technology companies - Apple (at No.2), IBM (at No.3), Google (at No.4), Microsoft (at No.5), Intel (at No.8) and Samsung (at No.9), in the top 10 brands.
Automakers Toyota and Mercedes-Benz have each moved up one notch to claim the No.10 and No.11 spots, respectively, while BMW has moved up 3 spots from No.15 to No.12.
The impact of 2008's global economic downturn and recent events, such as the notorious Libor scandal has affected the financial services brands, says the report. For example banking giant Credit Suisse has slipped to No.95 from last year's ranking of No.82.
Given below are the top 20 names from the list of 100 Best Global Brands as ranked by Interbrand.
1.Coca-Cola 2.Apple 3.IBM 4.Google 5.Microsoft 6.GE 7.McDonald's 8.Intel 9.Samsung 10.Toyota 11.Mercedes-Benz 12.BMW 13.Disney 14.Cisco 15.HP 16.Gillette 17.Louis Vuitton 18.Oracle 19.Nokia 20.Amazon
Commenting on the rankings, Jez Frampton, Interbrand's Global Chief Executive Officer said, "The world's 100 most valuable brands are leading the way by listening to consumers, employees, and investors alike and delivering a seamless and holistic brand experience across an ever-evolving range of touchpoints".
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.