Toyota Tops List of Most Valuable Automotive Brands, Lexus Tenth
Strong branding isn’t just about being recognizable; it’s about turning that recognition into value. And nobody does it better than Toyota. Well, no automotive brand at least.
But it’s not just me telling you that, it’s a study. A real, bona fide study. BrandZ’s Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2015 study, to be exact. We’re talking 95 pages of serious market research here.
Interestingly enough, for being the most valuable car brand, with a value of $28.9 billion, Toyota only ranks 30th on the entire Top 100. But that’s partly because automotive brands haven’t recovered as well as most since the recession. “Carmakers enjoyed strong sales in the US and China, but Europe’s economic problems hurt results. Of the 13 categories studied in this BrandZ report, cars is one of two categories that hasn’t rebounded in brand value to its pre-recession level,” notes the report.
Lexus Intersect space in Tokyo, Japan.
If you’ve got a minute, head on over to page 50 and 51 to read up on the study’s analysis of the car category, as it’s all quite interesting. As for Lexus, though it’s only the 10th most valuable brand in the category, with a value of 4.329 billion, and it doesn’t appear on the Top 100. However, the marque does get called out for its innovative approach to their Intersect space in Tokyo, “which focuses less on the vehicles and more on the whole Lexus lifestyle, from food to fashion.” The study also says that Lexus “ranked highest for overall dependability in two respected independent surveys, [and] attracted consumers seeking luxury with reliability.”
With 95-pages of density, the study is jam packed with interesting facts about other brands as well. Like the fact that Apple is the world’s top brand, valued at just under $247 billion. Or how ’bout the fact that rounding out the top ten are Coke, McDonald’s, and Marlboro, three of the world’s most unhealthy brands? Or that Audi is the only automotive brand in the study’s Top 20 Risers?
Interesting stuff indeed, so head on over to the study and check it out. Then let us know your thoughts in the forum.
