Interbrand

- WHO WE ARE? Interbrand started in 1974 when the world still thought of brands as just another word for logo. We have changed the world’s view of branding and brand management by creating and managing brands as valuable business assets. We now have nearly 40 offices and are the world’s largest brand consultancy. We bring together a diverse range of insightful thinkers making our business both rigorously analytical and highly creative. Interbrand has the broadest geographical presence – offering more people, more disciplines, and more knowledge tailored to our clients. Our work goes deeper and further. We create and manage brand value by making the brand central to the business’s strategic aims. We’re not interested in simply being the world’s biggest brand consultancy. We want to be the most valued. - OUR HISTORY Branding is at the forefront of a new horizon. For years, brands have been seen as the tools of the corporate world, the unsung heroes of profit and longevity. Today, they're taking on a new look, redefining themselves organically from the nuts and bolts of the marketplace, to the heart and soul of an enlightened world. We don't use brands anymore. We live with them, because they're a part of who we are -- at work, at play, nurturing us when we're young, and providing for us when we're old. Brands are the elements that make our lives comfortable. Developing a brand requires an understanding not only of the economics of the brand, but its role in shaping our society - taking a look at it in terms of both utility and culture. It demands the commitment of a team - a team that understands the way people live and work; the needs they have and the dreams they hold. Over the past three decades, Interbrand has helped to build that community. Today we operate worldwide, bringing together some of the most gifted minds and passionate spirits in the branding world. We're a name our clients trust. Not only in developing their most valuable assets, but in the belief that we have what it takes to change the way people think. To open the world to new possibilities, and to position our clients' brands as the choices to live by. We're creating long-lasting, rewarding relationships between companies and their clients, and securing future earnings through the loyalty of their customers. And we're having fun doing it. Challenging our own ideas of what a brand can be, and growing through the diversity that surrounds us. We're a team that shares in its rewards, and that appreciates the individuals who bring it to life. Interbrand was formed in London, in 1974, to provide a specialist service in the area of brand strategy and corporate name development. In 1993, Interbrand was acquired by the Omnicom Group. This decision was made to enable Interbrand to expand more quickly and tap into the vast resources of our new owner. During the past several years, we have further strengthened and expanded our service capabilities by acquiring leading branding and identity consultancies in key markets. In 1995, we merged with The Schechter Group, a leading US identity consultancy. Interbrand's Singapore office was also established in 1995 to fulfill the demand of existing clients in the area, as well as to establish the Interbrand name and range of services in South East Asia. In 1996, we joined forces with Gerstman+Meyers Inc., one of the leading US-based package design consultancies; and Zintzmeyer & Lux AG, the leading corporate identity firm in Switzerland and Germany. We didn't stop there. In October 1997, we merged our London operations with Newell and Sorrell, the leading identity practice in the UK and Amsterdam; and in 1998, we invested in Avalos & Bourse, the leading packaging design consultancy in Argentina, further strengthening our capabilities in South America. We should also mention Interbrand Design Counsel in Singapore and Interbrand Sampson (formerly Sampson Associates) in South Africa. In 2000 Hulefeld Associates from Cincinnati joined Interbrand, and we welcomed our Canadian colleagues from Tudhope Associates in Toronto to form Interbrand Tudhope. In 2001 we joined forces with Architral and Gerard Barrau in Paris and David Wood Associates in Chicago, Geneva, Hamburg, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. Also in 2001 Interbrand Associate offices opened in Oslo, Copenhagen, Athens, and Bangalore. Year 2002 started with inauguration of the new Interbrand Office in Paris, and new offices with the Design Forum (HQ in Dayton, Ohio) and Interbrand Shanghai in China. Today, Interbrand employs over 800 people in offices worldwide -- from San Francisco to Tokyo and everywhere in between. The only continent we've yet to touch is Antarctica, but not for long! While we're not considering opening an office down south until it warms up a little, we're there in spirit through our sponsorship of Robert Swan, the renowned Arctic explorer, who lead an expedition to clean up the land of ice. In our commitment to better branding, Interbrand has established itself as a prolific publisher on the subject, with works including Brand Medicine, The World's Greatest Brands, Brand Valuation and The New Wealth Creators, among others. We've also spent a lot of time on the road, educating CEOs, CFOs and marketing and communications managers on how strong brands can change the world. For the latest company news visit our past features. -- Best Global Brands 2010: The Definitive Guide to the World’s Most Valuable Brands http://www.thebestglobalbrands.com