Asia-based ★ "Asia's Top 1000 Brands" Ranking: Samsung Tops the List for the Third Consecutive Year

Campaign Asia-Pacific announced its "2014 Asia's Top 1000 Brands" ranking. Samsung retained the top spot for the third consecutive year. Sony, Apple, Nestlé, Panasonic, LG, Nike, Canon, Chanel, and Adidas rounded out the top 10. The lineup remained largely unchanged from last year, with technology and fashion brands dominating the upper ranks.

The survey was conducted online among general consumers in 13 Asia-Pacific countries and regions. The number of respondents was 400 each for Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines; 800 for India; and 1,200 for China. Respondents were asked to name the top two brands they associate with excellence in terms of trust and reputation across 14 categories and 73 product items.

Samsung's greatest strength, topping the rankings in 10 countries and regions, is its smartphones. It leads the category everywhere except China, where Apple dominates. Samsung also ranked second in tablets and TVs, and first in home appliances. However, the company's smartphone business is currently experiencing a significant decline in profitability, recently hitting its lowest level in the past five quarters. Maintaining its market advantage going forward hinges on the brand strategy for the successor to the smartphone GALAXY S5, scheduled for release this fall or later, as well as its ability to create and lead new categories with last year's smartwatch GALAXY Gear and the wearable health monitoring device Simband.

Sony, ranked second, moved up from Apple's second-place position last year. By country/region, Sony was number one in Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Australia. By category, Sony led in televisions and home audio, and was second in portable music players.

Apple, in third place, has maintained its attractive brand image and product lineup three years after losing its charismatic leader. It ranked first in PCs, tablets, and portable music players by category. However, it has shown a lack of innovation over the past year, with a gradual trend of users drifting away. Facing aggressive competition not only from Samsung but also from Chinese players like Xiaomi, it faces a critical juncture. Innovative developments following the Beats Electronics acquisition are anticipated.

Overall, luxury brands like Prada, Rolls-Royce, and The Peninsula saw dramatic ranking increases, driven by the growth of affluent consumers in China and India. In contrast, major airlines like Singapore Airlines, traditional supermarkets like Walmart, and financial brands saw significant ranking declines, partly due to the emergence of more affordable alternatives.