Coca-Cola retains most valuable global brand title

Google, Apple and Nintendo are among this year’s highest gainers in the Interbrand annual Best Global Brands report, while financial services brands Merrill Lynch, Citi and Morgan Stanley have fallen sharply down the list.

Coca-Cola takes the top spot as the most valuable global brand for the eighth consecutive year, although IBM has leapfrogged Microsoft into second position and Google has entered the top ten for the first time. Last year, the internet search giant was at number 20.

The financial uncertainty that has marked 2008 has shown in the report, although HSBC is still at number 27 and Visa is a new entrant to the list at 100th place.

Other new entrants include budget fashion retailer H&M at 22, Giorgio Armani at 95, FedEx at 99 and media information company Thomson Reuters at 44. Luxury brands have also faired well as emerging markets continue to prosper with Porsche, Ferrari and Prada also all entering the list for the first time. Meanwhile, Ford at 49 and Gap at 77 saw significantly falls.

The report also found that brands that are investing in sustainability have also fared well with Honda at number 20 and Mercedes at number 11, which it attributes to their investment in fuel efficient models. It says that GE and BP have also increased their brand valuation by investing in sustainable business practices and greener energy sources.

Jez Frampton, Interbrand chief executive, says: “The Best Global Brands 2008 rankings is a reflection of the global economy – the current credit crisis, the growth of the emerging markets and the increased emphasis on sustainability are all key trends that resulted in brand rising or falling on the list.”

He adds that the “increasing complexities” of the global economy reinforce the need to protect and grow brands.”