Google tops list of superbrands again

Google, a business built on its ability to compile lists, finds itself sitting on top of a particularly impressive one. For the second year running, the US-based search engine company is top of the annual Business Superbrands survey, a list compiled not with algorithms but from the opinions of 1,500 business executives.

The news was not so good for some of the best known UK names in the business world, such as BBC Worldwide, the UK state broadcaster's commercial arm, British Airways and, it must be added, the Financial Times, all slipped from this year's top 10.

The BBC slid from 4th to 15th, BA was down to 36th from 8th in 2008, while the FT fell from 7th to 31st. They were, however, the highest ranked media companies in a list that included The Times, The Economist, Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters, all placed between 55th and 85th. British pride was restored by the appearance of Rolls-Royce in silver medal place, accelerating from 6th place last year.

Also behind Google in this, as well as some other senses, was Microsoft, placed third in the table, which is compiled by the Centre for Brand Analysis for the organisation Superbrands.

Their seventh effort at testing the temperature of brand favour found warmth directed towards Michelin, a star which rose from 63rd place in last year's survey to 8th in 2009, and Nokia, which came in fifth place instead of 18th in 2008.

It was also a bull market for the London Stock Exchange, in 8th compared with 15th last year, while Bupa registered a healthy 10th position.

The BBC's fall may be due to a difficult year for the broadcaster, including a succession of scandals associated with deceiving viewers and listeners in phone-in competitions and permitting the broadcast of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand leaving an obscene message on the answerphone of Andrew Sachs, the actor.

The table was compiled by presenting a list of 1,100 companies and organisations to a panel of business experts who rated them on a scale of 1 to 10.

Published by: Ben Fenton

Published 23rd February, 2009

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