CorpComms Magazine

Telecoms giant Vodafone is now Britain's most valuable brand and, after boosting its global presence by investing in Africa and Australia, achieved fifth position in the world rankings, according to a new league table. 

The brand of the world's largest mobile telecommunications group, with operations in six continents, has been valued at £18.9 billion, up six per cent on last year.

David Haigh, chief executive of BrandFinance, which annually ranks the top 500 global brands, said: 'Vodafone's presence in the top ten is testament to the UK's ability to grow and nurture great brands despite a tough economic climate.

'From a global perspective, five of the top ten largest growers are technology-related companies, reinforcing the importance of embracing technological innovation to give a seamless, value-enhancing brand experience.'

Vodafone was the only British brand in the world's top ten most valuable brands after international banking group HSBC fell from eighth to eleventh position.

Google tops the world rankings, replacing supermarket chain Walmart, with a brand valuation of $44.3 billion (£27.2 billion), edging Microsoft, which has a brand valuation of $42.8 billion (£26.3 billion), into second place. Walmart is now in third position.

The survey found that, while Google may dominate the search engine sector, it has repeatedly undertaken ventures that, while not commercial, have a positive impact on its brand rating. These include developing services to help the rescue efforts in New Zealand and Japan following their recent natural disasters. 

Coca-Cola failed to appear in the top ten most valuable global brands for the first time since BrandFinance began the league tables in 2007. The drinks giant fell from third place in 2010 to sixteenth position this year as consumers opted for healthier drinks.

Another notable loser is BP. In the wake of last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the value of its brand suffered a £2 billion loss causing the oil group to slump 53 places in the rankings to 104.

Achieved amazing results with digital campaigns? Click here for more info on the CorpComms DigiAwards.

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet