Brand value is impossible to measure accurately but when a consumer is willing to pay more for one brand over another, it's clear that branding determines a company’s value.
This is especially true in the auto industry, where a consumer’s perception of a brand is often the decisive factor in buying a new car. One of the best indicators of how valuable each brand is compared to its rivals is the annual BrandZ Top 100 global survey, conducted by market research firm Millward Brown.
In the automotive category, BMW reclaimed the top ranking in 2012 after losing it to Toyota a year ago. Motor Authority reports that BMW’s brand value rose 10 percent over the past 12 months to $24.62 billion while Toyota’s dipped 10 percent to $21.78 billion.
Researchers pointed out that supply chain globalization and just-in-time inventories hurt Japanese automakers due to the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan and the flooding in Thailand.
At the same time, luxury brands lkike BMW Audi and Mercedes-Benz have benefited from strong demand in China. The country remains the world’s largest new car market and a critical volume-driver.
Despite GM being the number one automaker in the world in terms of sales, none of its brands made the top 10 list. The most valuable brand in the world is Apple, whose value rose 19 percent in the past year to $183 billion or about 37 percent of its current market capitalization.––Paul Duchene
The top ten automotive brands for 2012 in order and value (in billions) are as follows:
1. BMW $24.62
2. Toyota $21.78
3. Mercedes $16.11
4. Honda $12.65
5. Nissan $9.85
6.Volkswagen $8.52
7. Ford $7.03
8. Audi $4.70
9. Hyundai $3.60
10 Lexus $3.39
