The high-impact or "thought leader" organizations feature a pioneering spirit, rigor, objectivity, authenticity, and clarity, with clarity as the most critical.
The top brands maintain a ruthless and coherent focus on their credentials, and share very high trust ratings.
Apple and Google head both the U.S. and UK lists — not a surprise, as they topped both Fortune's "most admired" ranking and our 2009 Index. Google isn’t engaging itself in new ventures whereas Apple is successfully leveraging its reputation for pro-consumer innovation.
Another marked feature of the 2010 Index is the increasing dominance of web-based companies, not just Twitter and Facebook, but eBay and Skype, two brands that, like Amazon, have successfully challenged consumers to rethink their definition of retail.
The Lessons learned from the players in the market are many On key social issues, such as the environment, diet, and lifestyle, giants such as Nestle, PepsiCo, P&G, and Unilever believe they are setting agendas and demonstrating thought leadership. Second, sectors that trade on "thought capital" fail to be recognized as thought leaders. This maybe because, they package and present the opinions of others, rather than take an opinion or lead on an issue in their own right.
Third, the least surprising omission also represents the biggest opportunity: leadership in the financial services sector. This is an industry that desperately needs to rebuild trust, yet there seems to be absence of genuine leadership on both sides of the Atlantic. If any financial services brand manages to reverse this trend in 2011, it could reposition itself as a powerful force in the consumer marketplace.
The top brands maintain a ruthless and coherent focus on their credentials, and share very high trust ratings.
Apple and Google head both the U.S. and UK lists — not a surprise, as they topped both Fortune's "most admired" ranking and our 2009 Index. Google isn’t engaging itself in new ventures whereas Apple is successfully leveraging its reputation for pro-consumer innovation.
Another marked feature of the 2010 Index is the increasing dominance of web-based companies, not just Twitter and Facebook, but eBay and Skype, two brands that, like Amazon, have successfully challenged consumers to rethink their definition of retail.
The Lessons learned from the players in the market are many On key social issues, such as the environment, diet, and lifestyle, giants such as Nestle, PepsiCo, P&G, and Unilever believe they are setting agendas and demonstrating thought leadership. Second, sectors that trade on "thought capital" fail to be recognized as thought leaders. This maybe because, they package and present the opinions of others, rather than take an opinion or lead on an issue in their own right.
Third, the least surprising omission also represents the biggest opportunity: leadership in the financial services sector. This is an industry that desperately needs to rebuild trust, yet there seems to be absence of genuine leadership on both sides of the Atlantic. If any financial services brand manages to reverse this trend in 2011, it could reposition itself as a powerful force in the consumer marketplace.