“Samsung is gaining fast on Apple in terms of brand affection,” Haydn Shaughnessy reports for Forbes. “In Interbrand’s 2013 brand index, a benchmark measure of brand value, Apple came out on top, ending a 13 year run by Coca Cola. The signs are though that Samsung, which has been investing heavily in brand loyalty and not just marketing, is now challenging Apple in this crucial area of marketing, as analysts look across a wider range of social media and psychometric levers.”
“A ‘brand dependence’ index revealed at CES last week suggests that more people are dependent on the Samsung brand than any other in consumer electronics,” Shaughnessy reports. “In fact Samsung, marginally, beat out Microsoft. The methodology probes feelings about a brand, notably how integral a brand is to a person’s life and how often and naturally a brand comes to mind. On the upside for Apple, it scores higher for people with salaries of over $50,000.”
“But separate studies show that both Samsung and Microsoft are taking the consumer brand battle to Apple and winning. Forrester reported just before CES that Microsoft was the leading consumer brand in consumer tech according to its True brand compass research, with Apple inching ahead of Samsung in brand resonance but not in trust where they are level,” Shaughnessy reports. “At the same time Samsung can be seen winning out in all forms of social media. Samsung has been trying for the past three years to win the hearts of its users, to go with the loyalty that its relatively low prices inspire. As part of its brand strategy it has invested heavily in social engagement and that too is paying off. EConsultancy notes: ‘Samsung was named as the most shared brand of 2013 during Unruly’s inaugural Video Sharing Awards (VSAs) held at the end of 2013. Samsung achieved a total of 7.3m shares during last year. This is 2.3m more shares than second-placed GEICO and, according to Unruly, Samsung achieved a 201% increase on the previous year when it finished in eighth place.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Anyone who can look at the Samsung logo and not think of a corrupt, thieving, cronyistic outfit that churns out blatant knockoffs of other companies’ patented products — whose only constant is subpar build quality — is blind, delusional, and/or morbidly stupid.
It’s ironic and sad that Apple, by inexplicably continuing to buy chip fab, displays, etc. from Samsung to the tune of billions of dollars per quarter, helps finance Samsung’s saturation branding and marketing efforts which elevates Samsung’s brand, in the process diluting Apple’s brand, at least in the eyes of the regrettably multitudinous ignorati.
Related articles:
Apple tops Dell for first time as most popular brand for PCs – December 5, 2013
Phil Schiller in damages retrial: Samsung’s slavish copying has effectively diluted Apple’s brand – November 15, 2013
Forbes’ World’s Most Valuable Brands: Apple #1 for 3rd straight time; worth nearly 2x any other brand on planet – November 7, 2013
Interbrand: Apple overtakes Coca-Cola as world’s most valuable brand – September 30, 2013
Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2012: Apple jumps to #2 – October 4, 2012
Interbrand: Apple rises to 20th in brand value rankings – September 21, 2009
Apple gains ‘staggering 24 percent’ in 2004 brand value chart – July 23, 2004