No prizes for guessing the world’s most valuable brand. Apple, the tech giant from Cupertino, California has had some very impressive numbers for several years now. With profits pegged at $104 billion, it surpasses its closest competitor Microsoft by $48 billion, which is in fact closer to the total revenue of Coca-Cola, placed at number 3. These numbers have been unheard of in business so far. From humble beginnings and finding leadership in one of the greatest businessmen of his time, Steve Jobs, Apple is one company that knows exactly what it is doing and does it better that everyone that matters.
The most powerful brand
Apple topped the list which was put together by Forbes, the go-to place for anything money. Another interesting index that we came across recently was the most powerful brand list. The parameters Brand Finance, world’s leading brand valuation company, used to judge the strength of brands while compiling this list are as follows; customer loyalty, desirability, consumer sentiment, visual identity, online presence and employee satisfaction. Legendary Italian supercar maker- La Ferrari came up on top beating all other brands by a significant number. Even though the brand pulled in close to $4 billion in revenue last year which is pale in comparison to Silicon Valley behemoths, their heritage, tradition and pure passion propelled them to the top.
Apple and its super powers
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer on April 1st 1976 and incorporated it on January 3rd 1977. It started off as a manufacturer of personal computers such as the Apple, Macintosh and Power Mac. Today they have diversified into consumer electronics which include personal computers, music players, software and commercial servers. Steve Jobs is the principle reason for the meteoric success of this company. His story is the stuff of legends. A man who having started the company had to see the day when he would be expelled from it himself and then come back and take full control of it.
Apple has done a lot on its way to become one of the most valuable brands in the world. It has always been a brand with astonishing levels of fan craze the world over. Millions of their products are sold within minutes of launch. Fans line up outside stores days before launch so that they are the first to get them. Such impressive fan following is hardly seen with other brands with the exception of certain game consoles such as PlayStation and Xbox. Their pre launch media coverage eclipses even the Olympics and the collective fascination with their devices leaves most baffled.
When Steve Jobs came back to the helm of affairs, Apple was not doing very well, but he had a plan. His idea was to create beauty out of simplicity. People loved it. All Apple products are striking examples of simple yet beautiful design merging seamlessly with superior technology. From a brand that focused largely on personal computers, they built music players and mobiles that would go on to capture the collective imagination of the entire world. Apple monetizes this fanatic craze for their products quite brilliantly. This is the defining process that they have mastered to perfection and thus have been able to rake in numbers which simply said are — astronomical.
Ferrari- where fanatic perfection meets glorious tradition
One of the lesser known facts about Ferrari is that Fiat owns 85% controlling stake in the company. That being said, Ferrari has been the personification of what a super car should be. Makers of some of the most iconic cars to ever exist, they continue to push the limits of physics with a new breed of hyper cars that redefine the concept of reaching ‘top speed’. Based out of Maranello, Italy and founded by one of the greatest minds of the automotive world, Enzo Anselmo Ferrari; this company has a history deeply rooted in racing from where most of the current technology we see in modern super cars derive from today. This tradition comes from Enzo himself, an accomplished race driver during the golden days of racing, the 20’s and 30’s.
The prancing horse logo symbolizes everything that Ferrari is today. Strength, power, endurance and beauty. They have an ardent and strong fan following all across the world. Their cars are always at the pinnacle of technology, innovation and speed. Every product that comes out of the Maranello facility is largely hand built showcasing the dedication that these folks put into them. Every car from the iconic F 450 to the Enzo Ferrari has set benchmarks against which the rest of the competition is judged upon.
Their racing tradition is envious to say the least. They have dominated Formula 1 for the better part of a century. They have had some of the greatest drivers such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Eddie Irvine, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso work for them. All these drivers are multiple championship winners. They are also the most successful team in Formula 1 with 16 Constructors Titles of which 6 were consecutive.
With such rich heritage, Ferrari has become part of automotive history. Every kid wants to own a Ferrari, every young man lusts for its speed and luxury and if you own a Ferrari, you have truly succeeded in life. From being an unstoppable force in racing to becoming the ultimate man fantasy, Ferrari has channeled its expertise from the track perfectly into its road cars; giving people the opportunity to be part of advanced technology meant only for a select few.
Brands matter, as much as products do
Creating a brand as successful and powerful as Ferrari and Apple takes years of concentrated effort, dedication and smart business acumen. Brands all over the world struggle to understand that creating fantastic products does not mean they will become successful. It is the connect they have with clients that creates value. This brand value is what will keep them going towards bigger goals.
Both these brands are highly successful at what they do. They embody business excellence, skill of craftsmanship, history and technological innovations. They produce examples of brilliant design which are highly practical. Each has its own appeal and creates history as it moves along. Apple has been extremely successful in monetizing their brand value and hence is rightly at the top of the most valuable chart. Ferrari, on the other hand, symbolizes perfection and speed like no other and has the power to shake up the automobile industry every time they launch a car. They embody power in its finest form.
