Interbrandbeganin1974whentheworldthoughtofbrandsasjustanotherwordforlogo.Wehavechangedthedialogue,definedthemeaningofbrandmanagement,andcontinuetoleadthedebateonunderstandingbrandsasvaluablebusinessassets.Wenowhavenearly40officesandaretheworld’slargestbrandconsultancy.Ourpracticebringstogetheradiverserangeofinsightfulright-andleft-brainthinkersmakingourbusinessbothrigorouslyanalyticalandhighlycreative.Wecreateandmanagebrandvalueforclientsbymakingthebrandcentraltotheirstrategicbusinessgoals.Formorethan30yearswehavebeencreatingretailbrandexperiencesforcompaniesaroundtheworld.InterbrandDesignForum’stalentforgame-changinginnovationspurredustocreateabusinessmodelthatintegratesanalytics-basedstrategyintowhatbeganasadesignandarchitecturegroup—thefirstandonlycompanywithsuchacomprehensiveoffering.Ourbroadrangeofservicesincludes:brandstrategy,shoppersciences,digital,retaildesign,documentation,androllout.Thisuniqueabilitytoaddressretail’sgrowingcomplexityhasledmanyoftheworld’stopcompaniestoourdoorstepandpropelledInterbrandDesignForumtotheforefrontoftheindustry.Contents01Introduction:SignsofRecoveryAletterfromJezFrampton.02NewDynamicsThefutureoftheretailbrandexperienceismultichannel,authentic,andglobal.09U.S.Overview:U.S.BrandsProveResilientbyBruceDybvadWhichbrandsarenewtothelist?Whichdroppedoff?ProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsintheU.S.24CanadaOverview:TheOncomingThreatofU.S.BrandsbyAlfredDuPuyandStephenWeirProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsinCanada.28U.K.Overview:WhereValueMeetsBrandbyGrahamHalesProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsintheU.K.32FranceOverview:WhatAbouttheCustomer?byNicolasChometteProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsinFrance.36GermanyOverview:ARetailExperienceBeyondJustDiscountbyNadineHohlfeldProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsinGermany.40SpainOverview:SpanishBrandsdidTheirHomeworkbyBoscoTorresandGonzaloBrujóProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsinSpain.44AsiaPacificOverview:TheRiseofValuePerceptionbyStuartGreen,JonathanChajet,DominicWalsh,EricShao,GiuliaChiaraRocca,VirenRazdan,HidetomiTanaka,AlexMurrayHannahShin,andRyanChanatryProfilesofthemostvaluableretailbrandsinAsiaPacific.48BrandStrengthInterbrand’s10principlesofstrongbrands.50HowInterbrandValuesRetailBrandsCriteriaforconsiderationandmethodology.52Contributors53ContactUsSignsofRecoveryInmanyways,Interbrand’s2011BestRetailBrandsreport—asurveyofretailbrands’performancesin2010—canbereadasaprogressreportonthegradualglobaleconomicrecovery.Whilethealready-immediateimpactofJapan’stragicanddevastatingcrises,therecentconflictsintheMiddleEast,andpressuresfromEuropeandebt,revealjusthowfragilethisclimbbackupis,ourstudyshowstrueandmeasurablesignsofoptimism.Thefuturemaystillpresentchallenges,butconsumerconfidencehasbeenreturning,particularlyintheU.S.,wherespendingisupacrosscategories.Indeed,justasthetheU.S.’sretailmarketfelttheimpactoftherecessionmostimmediatelyin2008,itisthefirsttofeeltheinitialinklingsofaturnaround—agoodindicatorthat,evenwithnewobstaclesinfrontofus,thepathtorecoveryiswithinreach.Inparticular,thecategoryofapparelisperformingstrongly,inlargepartduetoaggressiveinternation-alization.Spainmayhavebeenhithardbytherecession,butitsretailstars,ZaraandMango,havefaredunusuallywellduetoexpansioninAsiaandtheU.S.andacommitmenttoreinforcingtheirbrandsthroughdigitaltouchpoints.JapanesebrandUNIQLOhasalsocontinuedtobenefitfrominternationalexpansion,particularlyinSoutheastAsia.Theotherstrongcategoryperformerisconsumerelectronics.Electronicsstorescompriseanumberofnewentrantsonourlists(Conforama,Darty,FutureShop,Suning),whilemainstayslikeFNACandBestBuycontinuetoincreaseinvalue.Overallgrowthinthiscategoryunderscorestheever-increasingrolethattechnologyplaysinoureverydaylives.Andyet,whileapparelandelectronicsmaybethriving,thecategorymostchallengedbytheshiftsinthemarketplacethisyearweregroceryretailers.BrandslikeAsda(partoftheWalmartgroup)droppedsignificantlyinbrandvalueinthefaceofintensecompetitionandfailuretousetheirbrandtobringsomethingnewtothefray,somethingtosustainshoppers’positiveperceptionsoftheirvalue.Meanwhile,theexceptionstotherule—WholeFoods,Woolworths,andTesco—allsawsignificantincreasesinbrandvaluein2011,duetotheirabilitytounderstandcustomersandreinventwhatagroceryretailercanoffer,expressingthebrandideathroughmanysmallbutmeaningfulactionsthatunlockvaluecreationandleadtobigimpact.Asstatedinour2010BestGlobalBrandsReportinSeptember,weareatapivotalmomentwhenitcomestocommerce.Therelationshipbetweenbrandsandcustomersisinastateofflux.Forretailers,thismeansthepressureisontofindthebestwaytoexercisetheirbrands—whetheritisglobalexpansion,moreengagingbrandexperiences,ormorecompellinguseofdigitaltouchpoints.Thefinancialandbehavioralcyclesofyesterdayarefadingandbrandscannolongerrelyonthesamestrategiesthatworkedinthepast.Totrulyconnectwithskepticalandsavviercustomers,retailersneedtofocusoncraftingatruepointofview.Thismeansensuringthateachandeverytouchpoint—whetheritisbrickandmortar,digital,mobile,orinternal—isinfusedandoperatingwiththesameuniquebrandstory.Soundc