No |
Brand |
Country |
Description |
| 1 |
Coca-Cola |
U.S |
Flagging appetite for soda has cut demand for Coke, but the beverage giant has a raft of new products in the pipeline that could reverse its recent slide. |
| 2 |
Microsoft |
U.S |
Threats from Google and Apple haven't yet offset the power of its Windows and Office monopolies. |
| 3 |
IBM |
U.S |
Having off-loaded its low-profit PC business to Lenovo, IBM is marketing on the strategic level to corporate leaders. |
| 4 |
GE |
U.S |
The brand Edison built has extended its reach from ovens to credit cards, and the "Ecomagination" push is making GE look like a protector of the planet. |
| 5 |
Intel |
U.S |
Profits and market share weren't the only things slammed by rival AMD. Intel's brand value tumbled 9%, as it loss business from high-profile customers. |
| 6 |
Nokia |
Finland |
Fashionable designs and low-cost models for the developing world enabled the mobile phone maker to regain ground against competitors. |
| 7 |
Toyota |
Japan |
Toyota is closing in on GM to become the world's biggest automaker. A slated 10% increase in U.S. sales this year will help even more. |
| 8 |
Disney |
U.S |
New CEO Robert Iger expanded the brand by buying animation hit-maker Pixar and beefing up digital distribution of TV shows through the Internet and iPods. |
| 9 |
McDonald's |
U.S |
A new healthy-living marketing campaign—and the premium-priced sandwiches and salads that came with it—have led to a fourth year of sales gains. |
| 10 |
Mercedes-Benz |
Germany |
The new S-Class sedan and M-Class SUV are helping repair a tarnished quality reputation. High costs and weak margins will take longer to fix. |
| 11 |
Citi |
U.S |
Already the biggest U.S. bank, Citigroup's quest to generate more revenues from world markets has it introducing its brand to new emerging markets. |
| 12 |
Marlboro |
U.S |
Marlboro remains firmly in the saddle, particularly outside the U.S., as it expands into developing markets |
| 13 |
Hewlett-Packard |
U.S |
Under CEO Mark Hurd, HP is skipping glitzy image ads to push specific products. Improving profits and a 40% stock price increase haven't hurt. |
| 14 |
American Express |
U.S |
A preeminent financial-services brand among high-end customers, the company is recasting itself as hip to broaden its appeal to a younger set. |
| 15 |
BMW |
Germany |
BMW continues to churn out hot models that buyers love to drive and Japanese automakers can't seem to replicate. |
| 16 |
Gillette |
U.S |
Gillette's new six-bladed Fusion razor met with ridicule when it was introduced. But with Fusion sales soaring, Gillette is still king. |
| 17 |
Louis Vuitton |
France |
With a glitzy new flagship on the Champs Elysées, the world's richest luxury brand celebrates yet another year of robust growth. |
| 18 |
Cisco |
U.S |
Cisco's decision to lead with its Linksys brand for consumers hasn't made the company a household name yet, but it's helping. |
| 19 |
Honda |
Japan |
As gas prices rise, Honda's gas sippers are helping the Japanese carmaker gnaw into the Big Three's market share. |
| 20 |
Samsung |
South Korea |
Samsung is rolling out hot LCD TVs and ever more powerful memory chips. But it is missing in action with low-end handsets, hurting market share. |
| 21 |
Mrrrill Lynch |
U.S |
Merrill Lynch has made a dramatic transformation from a sleepy, stable brokerage to a lean and mean investment bank. |
| 22 |
Pepsi |
U.S |
It tapped a growing obsession with obesity by shifting marketing dollars to Diet Pepsi. Another boost? Rival Coke's move to copy Pepsi Max with Coke Zero. |
| 23 |
Nescafe |
Switzerland |
Sales of instant coffee are piping hot in emerging markets, while flavored coffees and new products have boosted appeal in the U.S. and Europe. |
| 24 |
Google |
U.S |
Its recent inclusion as a verb in the Oxford English Dictionary confirms what competitors feared: Google means search to an army of Web users. |
| 25 |
DEll |
U.S |
The king of the inexpensive PC is trying to regain trust with a campaign to bolster customer service and technical support. |
| 26 |
Sony |
Japan |
Sony CEO Howard Stringer has fixed the TV biz, but other electronics products are struggling. He's betting PlayStation 3 can help turn things around. |
| 27 |
Budweiser |
U.S |
A price war and changing tastes left the No.1 beer maker with a nasty hangover. The drop in profits for 2005 was its first in a decade. |
| 28 |
HSBC |
Britain |
With retail, private, and investment banking operations in 76 countries, the world's local bank is fast becoming a major force in financial services. |
| 29 |
Oracle |
U.S |
Last year, Oracle bought another major software brand, Siebel Systems. This year it will have to sew it together and keep its customers happy. |
| 30 |
Ford |
U.S |
The iconic auto brand has declined in every measure. Weak marketing, bad press, shallow product portfolio, and a bottomed-out U.S. stock price hurt value. |
| 31 |
Nike |
U.S |
Nike won in both the casual fashion and hard-core athletic markets with innovative new products, marketing, and partnerships. |
| 32 |
Ups |
U.S |
China-to-U.S. routes are paying off handsomely, while a big contract to consolidate shipments for Dell is providing a boost back at home. |
| 33 |
JPMorgan |
U.S |
Unlike other big banks selling money management units, JPMorgan is building a brand in the business, as merger integration efforts continue.
|
| 34 |
SAP |
Germany |
New software aimed at smaller businesses helped SAP extend its customer base beyond blue chips. |
| 35 |
Canon |
Japan |
Digital cameras and copiers helped Canon become one of Japan's most profitable companies. New boss Tsuneji Uchida brings technological knowhow. |
| 36 |
Morgan Stanley |
U.S |
CEO John J. Mack is overhauling the firm, and its brand, to restore its former reputation as the top investment bank.
|
| 37 |
Goldman Sachs |
U.S |
Goldman's repeated blockbuster trading results have made it Wall Street's most profitable money machine. |
| 38 |
Pfizer |
U.S |
Sold its over-the-counter unit to focus on developing new prescription drugs—a smart move as powerhouse brands such as Lipitor face generic competition. |
| 39 |
Apple |
U.S |
Apple continues to be the style master with its expanded family of iPods and Mac PCs. Its latest hit: the MacBook line of laptops. |
| 40 |
Kellogg's |
U.S |
The cereal maker is striking an effective balance between healthy products like Special K and sugary treats like Pop Tarts to attract both moms and kids. |
| 41 |
IKea |
Sweden |
Its affordable Scandinavian designs have helped the Swedish retailer become a household name from San Diego to Shanghai. |
| 42 |
UBS |
Switzerland |
Melding private banking and investment banking continues to pay off big-time, especially in Europe and Asia. |
| 43 |
Novartis |
Switzerland |
The Swiss pharmaceutical giant is expanding across everything from prescription drugs to generic medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics. |
| 44 |
Seimens |
germany |
New CEO Klaus Kleinfeld has disposed of poor-performing telecom units, allowing Siemens to focus on businesses such as medical equipment. |
| 45 |
Harley-Davidson |
U.S |
Still the king of the hogs. Growing sales to women augment the loyal customer base of baby boomers and hard-core bikers. |
| 46 |
Gucci |
Italy |
Designer Frida Giannini still can't match predecessor Tom Ford's star power. But sales of apparel and leather accessories are growing nicely. |
| 47 |
eBay |
U.S |
Investors may not like increasing competition from the likes of Google, but TV ads keep boosting the online marketplace's brand appeal. |
| 48 |
Phillips |
Netherlands |
Buoyed by the success of its medical equipment and high-tech consumer gadgets, Philip's focus on cutting-edge, easy-to-use products is paying off. |
| 49 |
Accenture |
Bermuda |
Bundling consulting and outsourcing gigs is helping Accenture stay fierce. Last year, sales grew by more than twice the rate of other tech-services firms. |
| 50 |
MTV |
U.S |
Now 25, MTV is pushing into broadband with the MTV Overdrive site, where it faces competition with MySpace and YouTube for teens' attention. |
| 51 |
Ninetendo |
Japan |
Nintendo is No.1 in portable video-game consoles, but the unconventional new Wii console machine due out this autumn could be a harder sell. |
| 52 |
Gap |
U.S |
Still searching for its fashion identity, the clothier's sales are fraying as it struggles to dress the twentysomething crowd for both work and weekend. |
| 53 |
L'Oreal |
France |
This French cosmetics maker's finances are looking prettier, thanks to a rebound in sluggish European sales. |
| 54 |
Heinz |
U.S |
Slimming its portfolio and adding products like Lea & Perrins hasn't been enough for Heinz to compete with retailers' in-house brands. |
| 55 |
Yahoo |
U.S |
The company risks looking like an also-ran next to Google, but Yahoo is mining for hits in new areas like social networking and digital content. |
| 56 |
Volkswagen |
Germany |
Maybe the most resilient brand in its industry. VW is solving its quality and financial issues, and customers are coming back. |
| 57 |
Xerox |
U.S |
Xerox' stable of color copiers is bringing in a good supply of cash, but it has yet to make its mark in the digital world. |
| 58 |
colgate |
U.S |
Well into a four-year restructuring, Colgate now has something to smile about with new launches such as Luminous toothpaste finding strong demand.
|
| 59 |
Wrigley's |
U.S |
With new players chewing away at market share, Wrigley's has been expanding into areas like candy and mints with brand extensions and acquisitions. |
| 60 |
KFC |
U.S |
Avian flu fears in early 2006 slowed KFC's growth in China, the chain's hottest market, but KFC sales are rebounding. |
| 61 |
Channel |
France |
Fresh-faced Keira Knightly is replacing bad-girl Kate Moss as the face of Coco Mademoiselle perfume. |
| 62 |
Avon |
U.S |
Avon ladies have been struggling. Poor results in many markets, including Eastern Europe, forced CEO Andrea Jung to launch a restructuring this year. |
| 63 |
Nestle |
Switzerland |
Best known for chocolate, Nestlé posts stronger growth from other products, such as Nestlé Aquarel bottled water. |
| 64 |
Kleenex |
U.S |
A mature brand that's working to fend off commodity status. Emotional advertising is helping buoy its image against private labels. |
| 65 |
Amazon.com |
U.S |
Heavy spending on technology for digital media initiatives has depressed the stock, but free shipping and reliability keep customers happy. |
| 66 |
Pizza Hut |
U.S |
Pizza Hut sales have been drooping as Americans turn increasingly to sandwiches and Mexican fare. |
| 67 |
Danone |
France |
A growing global appetite for yogurt keeps the French food and beverage giant in good health. |
| 68 |
Caterpillar |
U.S |
Demand for Caterpillar's rugged machines and engines has never been stronger. |
| 69 |
Motoroal |
U.S |
New products like the RAZR and SLVR have been a hit, and a hip marketing campaign behind them is adding luster to the Moto brand. |
| 70 |
Kodak |
U.S |
Kodak has defied skeptics by becoming a major player in digital photography and printing, but profits remain disappointing. |
| 71 |
adidas |
Germany |
The World Cup was a bonanza for the sports-apparel maker. Securing the sponsorship helped keep archrival Nike at bay before the world's largest audience. |
| 72 |
Rolex |
Switzerland |
Rolex remains the ultimate luxury brand worldwide, and with strong sales in China, its appeal continues to spread. |
| 73 |
Zara |
Spain |
With its focus on high fashion at low prices, Europe's biggest clothing retailer is so popular that it's opening more than a store a day in 2006. |
| 74 |
Audi |
Germany |
Eye-catching design, hot technology, and a new American-size SUV called the Q7 are transforming Audi into a serious global rival to BMW and Mercedes. |
| 75 |
Hyundai |
South korea |
Fast shedding its image as a cheap automaker. In the latest J.D. Power quality survey of new car owners, Hyundai was No.3, behind Porsche and Lexus. |
| 76 |
BP |
Britain |
The global news and financial information giant is moving into derivatives trading with a collaboration with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. |
| 77 |
Panasonic |
Japan |
It's a force in flat-screen TVs, digital cameras, and chips but hasn't turned first-rate technology into better brand equity. |
| 78 |
Retures |
Britain |
The global news and financial information giant is moving into derivatives trading with a collaboration with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. |
| 79 |
Kraft |
U.S |
Fierce competition and rising commodity costs have dogged the U.S.'s largest foodmaker. Kraft's new CEO needs innovative new products to revive sales. |
| 80 |
Porsche |
Germany |
ceo Wendelin Wiedeking extends his 10-year winning streak with perfect timing and precision execution on the Cayman. |
| 81 |
Hermes |
France |
Best known for leather accessories and silk scarves, Hermes is riding high on the success of a new perfume, Un Jardin Sur le Nil. |
| 82 |
Tiffany & co. |
U.S |
With sales sparkling in many markets, the retailer's focus on service and design has helped it battle a new set of discount online competitors. |
| 83 |
Hennessy |
France |
As the brand gets a marketing assist from adoring hip hop artists in the U.S., the French cognac maker is pushing for growth in China and India. |
| 84 |
Duracell |
U.S |
Duracell has been gaining share in the market for premium replaceable batteries, but will rechargeable batteries threaten the long-term outlook? |
| 85 |
ING |
Netherlands |
ING continues its global expansion moving beyond its banking and insurance roots into the asset management business. |
| 86 |
Cartier |
France |
The popularity of Pasha timepieces and Caresse d'Orchidées jewelry is putting a sparkle in Cartier sales. |
| 87 |
Moet & Chandon |
France |
Global sales of Champagne are up 54% since 1990, and Moet's "Be Fabulous" campaign has cemented the brand in the center of the market. |
| 88 |
Jhonson & Johnson |
U.S |
There's more than one way to grow, as J&J showed by paying $16.6 billion for Pfizer's consumer-products unit. |
| 89 |
Shell |
Britain |
Despite pension problems and pipeline explosions, soaring oil prices fueled Shell to record 2005 profits of $23 billion. |
| 90 |
Nissan |
Japan |
Starved for new models, Nissan's sales have slipped. New launches, including a remodeled Altima, will be a timely boost for CEO Carlos Ghosn. |
| 91 |
Starbucks |
U.S |
Starbucks brings in customers with lifestyle marketing, pushing music, books, and lunch food to get them to stick around. |
| 92 |
Lexus |
Japan |
Toyota's relatively young Lexus premium brand is No.1 in the U.S., but it's just getting started in Asia and Europe. |
| 93 |
Smirnoff |
Britain |
The vodka market continues to attract new entrants; Smirnoff needs to better define a sophisticated identity to stay ahead of the pack. |
| 94 |
LG |
South Korea |
This Korean electronics maker is emulating its crosstown rival, Samsung, boasting stylish handsets and digital TVs. |
| 95 |
Bulgari |
Italy |
Italian jeweler Bulgari is powering growth with the help of a super-luxury hotel chain and customers like Madonna. |
| 96 |
Prada |
Italy |
Anti-Establishment Italian fashionista Miuccia Prada keeps testing the frontiers of taste: Edgy clothing design, edgier store architecture. |
| 97 |
Armani |
Italy |
Fashion icon Giorgio Armani proves his appeal extends beyond the closet, as he expands into everything from minimalist sofas to five-star resorts. |
| 98 |
Burberry |
Britain |
Moving beyond its signature plaid, Burberry is beefing up its accessories line and expanding its retail profile in the U.S. |
| 99 |
Nivea |
Germany |
In a bid to shed its austere image, the company is expanding into new products such as skin-firming lotion and men's eye cream. |
| 100 |
Levi's |
U.S |
This iconic brand is fighting to stand out among such high-end names as Earnest Sewn and, at the mass level, discounters' private-label jeans. |
