If you read yesterday’s post – and shame on you if you did not – you would have been linked through to an older story in which we highlighted how Microsoft was awarded the #1 ranking in the Australia “Authentic Brand Index” for 2008. (The world – or Australians at least – are still waiting for the results to be released from the 2010 index research.)
What’s up down under, oi?
There must be something funny in the water in Canada too. In late January, Adweek and researcher Ipsos Reid released their first ever (and, based on the results, maybe last ever) “Brand Influence Index” covering Canadian companies. Guess which brand is the most influential up dair, eh?
- Tim Hortons? No.
- Loblaw? Not even top ten.
- The Ottawa Senators? No. And please lose game 7 tomorrow night, you bums!
Eh?
Better than Apple? Better than Google? Why don’t we Americans hold Microsoft in anything near the same regard?
The Influence Index was based on consumers’ ratings of brands in six areas, including “Relevant,” “Leading Edge,” and “Engagement.” Again we ask, how could Microsoft rank higher than Apple? Or Facebook, for that matter?
This really ought to signal the death knell for brand rankings. All of these attempts – Interbrand, BrandZ, Ipsos Reid, et al. – are just variations on a mash-up of objective and subjective “measures” that call for the loudest “So What?!!?” possible in response.
With these types of measures, a brand can only be compared to itself – a la “is our brand getting stronger and more influential over time”?