How Much is Breakaway Branding Worth? Billions.

The Third Annual Top Ten Breakaway Brands List was recently released. The list is part of a study implemented by Fortune magazine, Landor Associates, and Stern Stewart’s BrandEconomics. It seeks to accurately measure the return on investment for the ten brands that had the highest percentile increase in brand strength over the last three years. TJ Maxx was at the top of the list with a 56 percent increase in brand strength, and iPod was second with a 41 percent increase.The actual brand value gained was pegged at $697 million for the TJ Maxx brand and a whopping $7.8 billion for iPod.

The study is a virtual primer on successful branding strategies. Three basic trends the report identifies include:

1) Engaging through experience
2) Leveraging the power of partnerships
3) Moving brand to the center of business

The TJ Maxx success story is attributed to “making saving chic”, which is similar to the reason behind the tremendous growth of the Target brand. In addition, the study credits the fast ascension of the iPod brand to “democratizing technology.”

The study used Young & Rubicam’s BrandAsset® Valuator to quantify the numbers, and the Wake Forrest Babcock School of Business to provide qualitative information.