If I have not said “thank you” to my many readers, I’ll say it now:

THANK YOU FOR READING MY BLOG.

My comrades at W&M and WordPress.com have been phenomenal in spreading my posts all over the internet. I wake up a lot of mornings surprised to see the array of readers I have from all over the world, looking in on my scribbled thoughts. I’ve gone from having only one reader – my wife – to getting as many as 100 unique views on days when I do my job right. For me, the metrics don’t really matter as a marketing strength, but as a reflection of interest. So thanks for your interest. I really appreciate it. Let’s grow together in 2012.

Ok, on to today’s rant…

Last year, in October to be exact, Interbrand published a list of the top brands in the world. It’s no different from what they do every year. Take a look at the list here.

I’ve not followed the list over the 12 years it has been in existence, but I became very interested when I saw that they segmented the brands into specific industry groupings. Of course, you know the industry, in which I was interested.

This year’s leader in the luxury segment is quite obvious. Ahead of brands like Gucci, Burberry, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton leads the luxe pack and is ranked 18th overall. In 2010, this subsidiary of LVMH, was ranked 16th with a value 2% less than the 2011 score.

Other luxury brands in the top 100 included Gucci (#39), Hermes (#66), Cartier (#70) Tiffany & Co. (#73), Armani (#93), and Burberry (#95). Each of these brands moved up the list, with Cartier climbing the highest with a seven-point increase. Cartier and Tiffany & Co. flip-flopped positions compared to the 2010 listing.

via James Rothaar of JustLuxe

One of the reasons for the appreciation of the luxury brands in Interbrand’s list is the increasing influence of digital technologies in fostering a higher level of brand engagement with consumers. It could be said that the most successful brands have done a good job of using tools, such as social media, to develop meaningful relationships with new and current customers. 

The luxury segment of the Interbrand study does not include auto manufacturers:

While automobiles and luxury companies were categorized separately, Mercedes-Benz, which ranked 12th overall for two years consecutively, ranked first. BMW was second and 15th overall for a second straight year as well. Other automakers included Volkswagen (#47), Ford (#50), Audi (#59), Porsche (#72), and first-timer, Ferrari completes the list at number 100.

via James Rothaar of JustLuxe

Go to Interbrand’s website to play with the great charts they put together. I’ve got some more interesting posts on some other luxe rankings coming out soon. Thanks for giving me your attention today.