Apple Leads, Toyota Ranks High in brandchannel’s Branding Awards

Brandchannel Announces First Brandjunkie Award Winners, Identifies How Brands Have the Greatest Impact

Brandchannel, the world’s leading online exchange about branding, today announced the winners of its first brandjunkie awards. They recognize the brands with the greatest impact and how they impact our conceptions and behavior through questions not usually asked by industry studies.

“The 2008 brandjunkie award winners were selected by our global community of readers passionate about brands and branding,” said brandchannel editor Jim Thompson. “Harnessing their expertise, we’re recognizing the companies which redefine how we engage in a world saturated with brands.”

Apple secured the top rank in six categories including most inspiring brand and brand which readers cannot live without. Readers referenced Apple’s position as an innovator—one that transcends industry boundaries about how we use products—as the major reason behind their admiration. On the other end, they identified Microsoft as the brand that they would most want to rebrand and argue with citing that “it’s gone from innovative and bold to stodgy and a follower.”

A surprising number of readers expressed skepticism that an environmentally friendly brand actually exists. When asked to identify one, more readers chose “none” than chose Toyota (#2) and Honda (#5) combined.

“This powerful combination of answers gives us a richer understanding of how brands manage consumer expectations for better or worse,” said Thompson. “Our readers clearly believe that one of the strongest attributes of Toyota and Honda’s brands is their commitment to sustainability.”

One reader remarked, “Most Japanese companies adopted ‘green’ business practices a full decade before many in North America or Europe. Out of the top Japanese brands, Toyota seems to lead the rest in positioning themselves as eco-conscious with cars such as the Prius.”

Readers also acknowledged their admiration for Toyota and Sony through top 20 placements as the brand that will revolutionize the branding industry in five years, most inspirational, and brand with which most people identify. Top ranked brands in categories include:

Brand that would have the biggest impact on the course of history if sent back 100 years: Apple (#1), Sony (#11), Toyota (#13).

Brand that you cannot live without: Apple (#1), Sony (#10).

Brand that you want to rebrand: Microsoft (#1).

Dead brands that you want to resurrect: “none” (#1), Pan Am (#2).

Brand with which you want to argue: Microsoft (#1), Sony (#9).

Brand that you most want to sit next to at a dinner party: Apple (#1).

Brand with which you most identify: Apple (#1), Toyota (#7), Sony (#9).

Brand most likely to revolutionize the branding industry in the next five years: Apple (#1), Sony (#9), Toyota (#10).

Truly Environmentally Friendly Brand: “none” (#1), Toyota (#2), Honda (#5).

Most inspiring brand: Apple (#1), Toyota (#12), Sony (#12).

A complete summary of brand rankings and insights are available at: www.brandchannel.com/brandjunkie.asp

Rankings are based on the answers of almost 2,000 readers living in 107 countries, 74% of whom hail from the marketing community. Conducted online from February 24 to March 9, 2008, the 2008 brandjunkie award survey asked respondents to identify one brand that best fits the criteria for each of the 10 survey questions.

About brandchannel

Brandchannel (www.brandchannel.com) is an award-winning online magazine dedicated to providing the world’s leading online exchange about branding. Launched in 2001, it features global, comprehensive perspectives across industries. Read by 105,000 subscribers and thousands more practitioners and thought leaders from over 100 countries, brandchannel is an editorially independent endeavor of Interbrand.

Contacts

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Iris Yee, +1 212-798-7684
iyee {at} brandchannel(.)com