Have you ever seen a client celebrate as if they’d just won Wimbledon? I got to experience that last night at the Association for Retail Environments awards dinner. The Burger King Whopper Bar took first place in the fast food restaurant category. We were thrilled to see a client who embraces innovation be rewarded for their ongoing commitment to improving the brand experience and delighted to celebrate the moment with an enthusiastic client.

For Release March 11, 2010

Interbrand Design Forum Contact:
Beth Ling, Director of PR
Direct: 937-312-8803
Mobile: 937-823-3480

Interbrand Design Forum Ranks the Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands; Walmart Remains the Top Retailer, Target Leaps to Second Report shows that the strong brands got stronger, while the bottom 25 fell.

DAYTON, OHIO – Retail brand consultants Interbrand Design Forum, today released the Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands report, the second ranking of the top 50 retail brands. Walmart claimed top honors as the most valuable retail brand, followed by Target (No. 2), Best Buy (No. 3), The Home Depot (No. 4) and Walgreens (No. 5).

The most striking shift in this year’s ranking is that despite the weakened economy, the Top 25 companies grew their brands’ value over last year. They not only survived, they prospered. However, the next 25 as a group lost value.

Broadly speaking, falling companies slashed prices, lost focus and chose not to renew their brand through investment or innovation. Rising companies had their brand proposition fully in place to take advantage of the downturn, invested in brand and convinced the customer of their relevance and worth.

This is Walmart’s second year as the top U.S. retail brand, however the big news is how much the brand value has increased. The economic downturn made it relevant to an even greater number of shoppers and its store remodel program “Project Impact”—less inventory, wider aisles, lack of in-aisle displays—paid off in high same-store sales. Walmart grew their brand value by 19%, or $25 billion, to $154 billion. It continues to be the most valuable retail brand in the world.

Target is another company that built brand value this year. With a 49% increase, Target leapfrogged Best Buy and The Home Depot to take the #2 spot on the list. As a brand-led company, Target focused on improving its operations to boost performance in the face of reduced growth without compromising brand. The company streamlined its assets, according to what matters most to the Target customer.
Five brands are new to the list in 2010:
Dollar General (No.18) – new to the list after going public in 2009
Buckle (No. 45)
Family Dollar (No.46)
Advance Auto Parts (No. 47)
Macy’s (No. 50)

A highlight among those new to the list is Macy’s, whose debut is attributable to its three-year focus on becoming a “master brand.” By holding steady to its strategic direction, it has succeeded in capitalizing on brand to improve its financials, and the results are showing up in organic sales growth in its 850 stores. Macy’s now has the clarity and power of a national brand.

The five brands that fell out of the top 50 are:
Hollister (last year No. 40)
Barnes & Noble (last year No. 44)
Men’s Wearhouse (last year No. 45)
Gymboree (last year No. 48)
Anthropologie (last year No. 50)

In turbulent times, brands that lack a solid brand strategy are likely to lose value along with the ability to drive demand. While many companies engage in tactical brand efforts, there are relatively few that filter their business strategy through their brand strategy to guide decisions. The tough market demands differentiation, innovation and value-add like never before, so brands need to be clear and compelling to stand out from price-based competition.

Interbrand Design Forum’s Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands report will be available online at www.interbranddesignforum.com on March 11, 2010. The results will be unveiled at the GlobalShop Conference in Las Vegas on that same day.

-End-

Note to the editor:
Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands 2010
1. Walmart
2. Target
3. Best Buy
4. The Home Depot
5. Walgreens
6. CVS
7. Sam’s Club
8. Dell
9. Coach
10. Amazon.com
11. eBay
12. Lowe’s
13. Nordstrom
14. Staples
15. Costco Wholesale
16. Avon
17. GameStop
18. Dollar General
19. Kohl’s
20. AutoZone
21. Tiffany & Co.
22. Victoria’s Secret
23. Gap
24. Polo Ralph Lauren
25. Bed Bath & Beyond
26. Netflix
27. Old Navy
28. Sherwin-Williams
29. Banana Republic
30. RadioShack
31. PetSmart
32. J. Crew
33. Marshalls
34. T.J. Maxx
35. Aéropostale
36. American Eagle Outfitters
37. Urban Outfitters
38. Whole Foods Market
39. JCPenney
40. Rent-A-Center
41. Dick’s Sporting Goods
42. Bath & Body Works
43. Big Lots
44. Tractor Supply Co.
45. Buckle
46. Family Dollar
47. Advance Auto Parts
48. American Girl
49. Abercrombie & Fitch
50. Macy’s

Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands 2010 Methodology and Results
To qualify for inclusion in the Interbrand Design Forum Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands, each company must be a market-facing brand, operate significant distribution channels in the United States, with publicly available financial data and positive Economic Value Added. Interbrand examines brands through the lens of financial strength, importance in driving consumer selection and the likelihood of ongoing branded revenue. This methodology evaluates brand value in the same way any other corporate asset is valued—on the basis of how much it is likely to earn for the company in the future.

About Interbrand Design Forum
Since 1978, we have been creating retail brand experiences for companies around the globe. Interbrand Design Forum’s talent for game-changing innovation led us to create a business model that integrates analytics-based strategy—the first and only company with such a comprehensive offering.

This unique ability to address retail’s growing complexity led many of the world’s top companies to our doorstep and propelled Interbrand Design Forum to the forefront of the industry.

We have been part of Interbrand since 2002, and two years ago we added Interbrand to our Design Forum name to reflect our place in the world’s largest branding consultancy.

Today, we have 1,200 associates in almost 40 offices around the globe and a practice that brings together a diverse team of insightful right- and left-brain thinkers. This deep talent pool makes our business both rigorously analytic and highly creative.

As a result, we have changed the dialogue, defined the meaning of brand management, and continue to lead the debate around brand as a valuable business asset. By making brand central to our clients’ strategic business goals, we help them create, manage and grow the value of their brands.

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 15, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT:
Beth Ling
Director of Public Relations
Interbrand Design Forum
(937) 312-8803
beth.ling@designforum.com

INTERBRAND DESIGN FORUM ANNOUNCES LAUNCH PARTY AND SPECIAL EVENTS FOR GLOBALSHOP CONFERENCE
2nd Annual Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands Report to be Unveiled March 11

DAYTON, OHIO— Retail brand consultancy Interbrand Design Forum will unveil the 2nd annual Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands report at the GlobalShop Conference which will take place in Las Vegas March 10 – 12, 2010 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center.

The report will officially launch on Thursday, March 11 as Interbrand Design Forum’s CEO Lee Carpenter and Interbrand’s Global CEO Jez Frampton and present “The Most Valuable Retail Brands: What it Takes to Drive Choice” from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (Session #12) and unveil the top 50 brands.

This annual ranking by brand value tells which of the top 50 retail brands rose and fell, but most of all, sheds light on what drives a brand’s performance and what ultimately influences the shopper. By drawing on insights from the study, attendees will learn which top retailers are flexible and adaptable enough to be relevant to the changed consumer and which have found ways to innovate.

During the show Interbrand Design Forum will welcome guests in Room 701, which is adjacent to the registration area and near the conference session rooms. The lounge will be open during show hours Wednesday through Friday, including these special events:

• Daily Breakfast begins at 9 a.m. Attendees can stop by for a cup of coffee or a bite to eat.

• “Jumpstart Your Creative Juices” Cocktail Party, Wednesday, March 10 from 2:30 – 5:00 p.m. As one of the world’s leading brand experience agencies, we know a few things about great creativity. Stop in for one of our signature cocktails and explore new ways to find inspiration.

• Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands Launch Party, Thursday, March, 11 from 2:30 – 5:00 p.m. Join us as we celebrate the launch of the 2nd annual report. Enjoy a cocktail and discover who’s made the Top 50 list. Champagne toast at 4:15 p.m.

• Afternoon Breaks offer an opportunity to visit our space for ideas about delivering growth at retail and grab a snack or a cool beverage.

About Interbrand Design Forum
Since 1978, we have been creating retail brand experiences for companies around the world. Interbrand Design Forum’s talent for game-changing innovation led us to create a business model that integrates analytics-based strategy—the first and only company with such a comprehensive offering.

In 2008, we added Interbrand to our Design Forum name to reflect our place in the world’s largest branding consultancy. We have been part of Interbrand since 2002, which gives us a network of 1,200 associates in almost 40 offices around the globe. For more information, please contact Beth Ling (937) 312-8803 or visit www.interbranddesignforum.com.