The votes are in, and the top brand in the world is... Google. The Internet search engine finished ahead of such household names as Coca-Cola and Starbucks in voting by readers of brandchannel.com.
A strong brand can be one of a company's most important assets. It can provide a strong competitive advantage that keeps consumers coming back for more and more.
The power of a strong brand is perhaps best summed up by this paragraph from our Rule Breaker strategy page: "We look for companies with strong consumer appeal. All else being equal, a company that imprints its logo in the minds of the public stands a better chance of surviving than one that does not. A strong brand serves to attract, to habituate, to profit, and to protect."
According to the survey, here are the brands that had the most impact on respondents' lives in 2002:
Globally
1. Google.com
2. Apple
3. Coca-Cola
4. Starbucks
5. Ikea
U.S. & Canada
1. Target
2. Apple
3. Starbucks
4. JetBlue
5. Krispy Kreme
Asia-Pacific
1. LG Electronics
2. Samsung
3. PlayStation
4. Sony Ericsson
5. Toyota
Cental & South America
1. Corona
2. Bacardi
3. Café de Colombia
4. Telemundo
5. Bimbo
Europe & Africa
1. Nokia
2. Ikea
3. Mini
4. BMW
5. Absolut