Here a article BEST GLOBAL BRANDS 2011 from InterBrand:
http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/branding-studies.aspx
I don't see Rolex anymore in the list!! although their turnover should be more then enough to get in there, wonder why?
Now think about current strategy we see from Rolex and then read below remarks about how top 100 brand are aware.....
Direkt link to --> PDF BEST GLOBAL BRANDS 2011:
http://www.interbrand.com/Libraries/Branding_Studies/Best_Global_Brands_2011.sflb.ashx?download=true
Pag 51 "Luxury
Dynamic icons for liquid modernity
No industry has undergone the degree of change that the luxury sector has known over the past thirty-six months. in the time following the global meltdown, luxury brands have shown what could only be described as a pulse effect. The immediate effect of the crisis on global luxury brands was a contractionnot only in terms of revenues, but also in a deeper sense. most brands returned to their original values, rediscovered their reason to be, and ultimately justified their existence in the eyes of a world seemingly destroyed by its own excesses. measures which, combined with the growth rates observed in emerging markets, helped these brands mitigate the impact of the crisis, restart again, and subsequently bring the overall sector back to double-digit growth in 2010. Overall, an outstanding performance that greatly overshadows the results of the majority of other sectors. and yet, while much has been written about the luxury industrys resilience in absorbing the crisis effect, less has been devoted to revealing the drivers of such a remarkable and immediate reaction. the past months, however, provide a crystal clear picture of the ways in which this sector has entered a new phase of growth.
It is a story of quick change. Global luxury brands have embraced, and are now at the forefront of a shift in their paradigm. they have transitioned from focusing on their own spirit and history to reaching deep into peoplesnot necessarily customers lives and zeitgeist. they have become fully immersed in the way people think, live, and behave. Gone are the days in which luxury brands were motionless idols, revered by the crowds. today, those brands that are generating extraordinary value are dynamic, energetic icons able to achieve what Zygmunt Bauman has called liquid modernity. such dynamism is, first and foremost, about presence. they are where customers are. Brands like Gucci and louis Vuitton, for example, have explored the potential of social media to a considerable extent. Burberry has shown the possibilities of using the web to stage an extensively vibrant experience. these brands have acquired an active and pervasive presence that would have been unthinkable just four years ago. dynamism is also about expression. the top luxury brands explore new territories of interaction with customers, carefully combining their long-standing spirit and long-term strategy with completely new interpretations. For example, Gucci takes its master craftsmen around the world to display their talent as part of the artisans Corner campaign and used them to open its museum in Florence. Meanwhile, Burberrys acoustic program features a gallery of British talent embodying and inspiring the brands creative process, which demonstrates an enormously rewarding balance between responsiveness and consistency.
the third form of dynamism pertains to the ethical sphere. Most of the best global luxury brands act like todays audiences expect them to act. traditionally representing the antonym of doing a little bit for many, (or alot for the few), luxury brands have engaged in sustainability programs as a way to shatter this understandable prejudice and interpret the post-crisis mood. Interestingly, in many cases, they have done so in a subtler and more consistent way than what has been the case for other sectors. they have addressed issues that are in line with the spirit of who they are and what they do. Gucci combined the launch of its kidswear line with the brands renewed support for Unicef's schools for africa program; the Cartier Foundation is committed to supporting the art of its time.
Finally, dynamism is reflected in the quest for the ultimate fulfillment of customers aspirations. Individual customization, offered through initiatives such as Pradas Made to Measure program, appears to be a key element in the offering of these brands, consolidating their connection to highly discerning customers. extraordinary accomplishments are achieved when history is translated into dynamism rather than stasis, and the luxury brands in this report are the living evidence of this. Manfredi Ricca, Managing , Milan."
