Millward Brown just released the 2009 BrandZ list of the top 100 Brands in the world.  Google tops the list with an estimated Brand Value of $100,039 Million!

The Report also listed 10 great “Take-Aways” regarding their findings.  Here are a few that I thought were worth sharing.

Brands Still Matter

According to Millward Brown, as long as consumers believe a product/service has value, they will be willing to pay for it.  I found this very interesting considering today’s economic situation.  This just shows the huge importance of creating an excellent brand image, especially in today’s market!

Don’t Be Greedy

I love this one!  The Report states, “Consumers are not in the mood for greed. And greed is not required for success. Once we are on the other side of this economic slowdown, consumer spending will pick up. But perhaps slowly, as people internalize the lessons of our recent boom and bust history. They will want quality, intelligently-created, well-designed products.  But they may not want one in every color.”

I do believe that many consumers are becoming more conscious of their spending and are moving towards simpler, more economical (and even greener) solutions for their everyday needs.  Moreover, by supporting local charities and events, not only will your community benefit, but so will your Brand!

Think Value For Money

Everyone is looking for value these days!  Frivolous spending is becoming a thing of the past, so Marketers have the renewed challenge of creating messages that can creatively and effectively communicate their Brand’s value.

Be Real

Millward Brown believes that with lower budgets and mounting concerns, today’s customers have become more serious.  Consumers want to support trustworthy brands that will meet their expectations.  Brands need to take a cue from this growing sentiment and make sure that they are not taking their customers’ needs lightly.  Not only does good marketing need to communicate value, but it also needs to show how the product/service satisfies the consumer’s needs and desires.

Stay Relevant

This is a huge one!  In today’s economic climate, more and more consumers are “trading down” in order to save money.  This definitely creates new challenges, but it also creates new opportunities!  Millward Brown sites Starbucks as a great example of staying relevant.  In order to save money, many consumers have been trading their coffeehouse drinks for brewing their own coffee at home.  Starbucks adapted to these new conditions, recently launching a range of instant coffees in order to retain these customers, and maybe even appeal to some new ones!

Source: Millward Brown, BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2009,http://www.millwardbrown.com/Sites/Optimor/Media/Pdfs/en/BrandZ/BrandZ-2009-Report.pdf