Premiering on Wall Street Journal Live and The Telegraph, UK-based TRACC has produced a video about Interbrand. Working with Interbrand's Global Marketing & Communications team over the last year, the video features our senior leadership explaining why, in today's global marketplace, creating and managing brands as business assets is more important than ever before.

Featured is an interview with Eileen Lynch, Head of Global Brand Strategy for Thomson Reuters. Lynch says, “Probably one of the most significant changes that has occurred in the way we run our business as a result of the relationship with Interbrand is actually appreciating the value of a brand.”

As a branding firm dedicated to helping clients distill and market their value sets, purpose and brands to the public, it is always an exciting opportunity when we get to flip the switch and zoom in on the Interbrand brand. Founded in 1974, Interbrand's culture and history is a rich and long one.

While built largely through acquisition over the years, our path has echoed the counsel we often provide to our clients. Anticipate the changing needs of markets and adapt accordingly.

Interbrand's founder, John Murphy, started the firm as a naming company. Realizing the opportunity to provide a strategic focus, as well as a design, to the products he was naming, the practice expanded to include logo & package design, brand strategy and brand valuation. Today, Interbrand is the largest branding consultancy in the world, yet it retains Murphy's entrepreneurial spirit.

In the video Interbrand's senior leadership team describes our unique disciplines, offerings, culture and people. As Andy Payne, Interbrand's Global Chief Creative Officer, often says, “These are not only our principles, but the ingredients of world-changing brands.” As the relationship between brands and consumers constantly evolves, having these principles top of mind is key to staying ahead of trends and evolving markets. Here's to our belief that the next 40 years will be just as exciting as the first.

Thank you to TRACC staff and crew as well as the Interbrand staff who helped to produce this video.

Lindsay Beltzer is Senior Associate, Global Marketing & Communications.

A stark white cardboard box with the words Macaroni and Cheese emblazoned stencil-like across the front. The same black type spelling out the word Beer on a gleaming white can. Perhaps you recall sitting down for such an unbranded meal, or maybe you've heard tell of these original "private labels" from the generic age. The premise was simple: During lean times, value conscious customers would happily pay less and skip the branding.

Well, you've come a long way, generic baby. The inheritors of the private label tradition now vie for shelf space at retail chains and price clubs everywhere, with personalities, eye-catching logos, color palettes and, yes, actual names.

It seems every retailer has one — or more. As Walgreens spreads it brings a full line of foods branded with the colorful Nice! label. Target goes to market with Archer Farms for its premium and organic food line – which, like the Whole Foods private label, are sometimes priced higher than the name brands they mirror, turning the value-conscious, no-frills origin of the private label on its head. Meanwhile Target goes cost-conscious with its Up and Up private label health and beauty products, while Whole Foods markets to the place where health conscious and value conscious meet with its 365 brand. Hard to imagine our old black-on-white bargain players grappling with the notion of brand architecture and portfolio management.

Meanwhile at Costco and Trader Joe's the future of private label is now. Trader Joe's entire model is predicated on private label – and the brand is playfully ingenious in its flex: Italian products are attributed to Trader Giotto, for example, and the fruit bars sport names like This Blueberry Walks Into A Bar….

But at Costco, the earnest value seeker and the ironic hipster can stroll the aisles shoulder to shoulder. And, unlike most others, Kirkland is slapped on everything from diapers to tequila, permission most private-label brands don't have.

Is Kirkland stretching the branded private label too thin? We think not. Because what's authentic about the Costco experience is the warehouse feel, the artlessness of the deal, and the supersized aesthetic of stocking the American larder against whatever hell or high water may come. It plays in Peoria and Williamsburg. And more importantly, changing Kirkland diapers all day might drive any parent to reach for the Kirkland drink.

Paola Norambuena
Executive Director,
Verbal Identity – North America

Part 1 - The Announcement

Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s Global CEO, officially launched the 2011 Best Global Brands report from the New York Stock Exchange on October 4th. The report ranks the world’s top 100 brands in terms of brand value and is one of the reports that CEOs look at most when assessing the performance of the brands they oversee. By listening to this podcast, you’ll learn which brands appeared in the top ten, which five brands increased their brand value the most and which three brands were new entrants in 2011.

 

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of this special Best Global Brands podcast series . Tomorrow’s podcast will feature Joe Tripodi of Coca-Cola — 2011’s #1 brand.

 

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Businesses and their brands are living in a pretty terrifying economic environment. The traditional summer lull drifted into a prolonged stare at the Euro crisis. We now know that the outcome rests on a Greek or Italian referendum that may or may not take place at some point in the unpredictable future. So we may as well close shop until after the holidays. After all, if we can't foresee the exact consequences of spending on marketing activity, surely it would be irresponsible to spend valuable resources?

I don’t agree. Now is not the time to panic. Whilst these pressures are real, a fear of the unknown should not cause paralysis. Who on earth would advocate a “winning” strategy of inertia? Show me the market that is static, the consumer segment that is wholly satisfied or the business plan that is unequivocally confident. Brands that attempt nothing in challenging markets achieve nothing.

Against this backdrop of uncertainty and change, some marketers with access to the “off” button have decided to exercise their right to the strategy of “let's do nothing” or “let's wait and see.” But if ever there has been a time for measured conviction or for a brand to confidently declare its mission, it is now. This backdrop of uncertainty and change presents the ideal canvas.

It all goes to show that many marketers still haven't broken through the corporate barriers and proven that brands are an asset worthy of investment – not just a cost. Those of us at Interbrand have spent 20 years demonstrating the economic value of brands, showing that well branded companies outperform competitors. If organisations are going to succeed in 2012, their marketers need to come out fighting and win these internal debates. After all, what brand can face the challenges of tomorrow's market without an effective understanding of how it drives demand?

Graham Hales is Interbrand London’s Chief Executive Officer.

Interbrand Sampson chairman Jeremy Sampson was interviewed by ABN (Africa Business News) about the 2011 Best Global Brands report, and discusses what makes Coca-Cola #1 again this year, among other topics. “Its geographic footprint is universal,” he comments. “They keep on doing new things to stay fresh and relevant.” As for Apple breaking into the top 10 this year, rising 58% in brand value, Sampson commented, “They seem to understand what we need and what we want, and they keep bringing out smart products.” Check out the video for his thoughts on Samsung, Nokia and what makes a best global brand in these times.