Branding the bottom line: Ruth Mortimer compares surveys from Interbrand and the FT on strong brands versus successful companies. (News Analysis)

Brand Strategy, May, 2002 by Ruth Mortimer

Brands are often described as `intangible' assets but to what extent do they add value to the bottom line? The FT Global 500 Survey--published this month--lists the top global companies, based on their market capitalisation. The study does not report how much of this market value is accounted for by the brand. But as a strong brand is often hailed as the key to business success--surely the largest companies also have the most valuable brands?

This is not always the case. A comparison between the FT 500 and the Interbrand Most Valuable Brands Survey 2001 shows that some of the world's most successful companies do not own the most valuable brands. Are brands failing to see their worth translated into hard cash?

The FT survey ranks General Electric as the most...