Interbrand’s Chairman Rita Clifton believes that good branding is the only way of generating sustainable value.
I heard Clifton speak at my livery last night about the winners and losers of the international brand world.
US brands account for 51 of the world’s leading top 100 brands, Germany for 11, France for eight and the UK for only four.
The most dramatic entry into this league has been Google. Clifton attributes its success to the consistency between  external messages and internal culture. “It’s no longer possible to look nice on the outside and have an axe-murdering culture on the inside.”
Apple is another winner. Its design has brought humanity to technology. “You just want to lick their products!”
If you are a brand owner, you have to remember three key points: clarity (as to what you stand for), consistency and leadership (to rally people around brand values).
Yang-May and I believe that the interactive web has made it possible for the man/woman in the street to promote their personal brand online the same way celebrities and products do. Web 2.0 has levelled the playing ground. This is one of the main points we will be making this evening as part of our guest lecture at London Metropolitan University.
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