Banks and financial institutions dominate the list of Canada’s biggest brands, according to the latest report from a brand valuation consultancy, but energy companies are rising through the ranks rapidly while one brand in particular -- Research In Motion’s BlackBerry -- has seen its value plummet.
The Royal Bank of Canada maintained its position as the country’s most valuable brand in Brand Finance Canada’s 2012 edition of the 50 Most Valuable Canadian Brands. TD Bank took second spot, rising from sixth in the 2009 survey and unseating the former second-place holder, RIM’s BlackBerry.
The BlackBerry dropped to 10th place in the rankings. The survey -- which looks at a brand’s financial performance, market share, industry and customer feedback, customer loyalty and ethical practices to assign a dollar value to the brand -- estimated BlackBerry lost 25 per cent of its value in the last three years.
PHOTOS: THE 20 MOST VALUABLE CANADIAN BRANDS
ALSO: THE 10 MOST VALUABLE RETAIL BRANDS..
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE BANKING AND FINANCE BRANDS..
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE TECH AND TELECOM BRANDS..
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE ENERGY BRANDS..
RIM isn’t alone in seeing its brand value diminished. Among the companies that fell out of the top 50 altogether are Air Canada, Canwest, Magna, Maple Leaf Foods, Sears, Yellow Pages and WestJet.
The survey attempts to measure the market value of brands, rather than their recognizability. So while a brand like Tim Hortons may arguably be more recognizable than first-place RBC, someone who buys the RBC brand would be able to make more money from it than they would from the Tim Hortons brand.
Among the biggest gainers were energy and commodities companies, not surprising given the growing importance of those sectors to Canada’s economy. Enbridge, the company at the heart of the controversy over the Northern Gateway pipeline, saw its brand jump from 21st place in 2009 to sixth place in the new survey.
Saskatchewan’s Potash Corp., meanwhile, ranked 16th in the survey, having not placed in the top 50 at all in the 2009 rankings.
Brand Finance managing director Edgar Baum said the dominance of banks at the top of the list reflects the sheer wealth of those institutions.
“The banks are just really big in terms of size and revenue so is their brand value,” he told The Huffington Post Canada in an email.
Looking at up-and-coming brands, Baum had plenty of praise for some Quebec-based companies, stressing the province’s Cirque du Soleil and the rapidly-expanding convenience store chain Couche-Tard.
Cirque du Soleil is “an incredibly strong brand but still not big enough from a financial size perspective” to make the list, Baum said, while Couche-Tard’s purchase of retail chains such as Circle K has added value to its brands.
Baum also named Cineplex and Dollarama as two brands that are likely to grow in value.
THE 20 MOST VALUABLE CANADIAN BRANDS
20. Barrick Gold
Brand value: $1.995 billion
19. McCain Foods
Brand value: $2.088 billion
18. Brookfield Properties
Brand value: $2.091 billion
17. Loblaws
Brand value: $2.151 billion
16. Potash Corp.
Brand value: $2.453 billion
15. CN Rail
Brand value: $2.664 billion
14. Telus
Brand value: $3.019 billion
13. George Weston
Brand value: $3.085 billion
12. Shaw
Brand value: $3.191 billion
11. Manulife
Brand value: $3.261 billion
10. BlackBerry
Brand value: $3.293 billion
9. Rogers
Brand value: $4.087 billion
8. Bombardier
Brand value: $4.199 billion
7. CIBC
Brand value: $4.557 billion
6. Enbridge
Brand value: $4.726 billion
5. Bell
Brand value: $5.258 billion
4. Bank of Montreal (BMO)
Brand value: $5.36 billion
3. Scotiabank
Brand value: $5.717 billion
2. TD Bank
Brand value: $8.499 billion
1. Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
Brand value: $8.647 billion
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE RETAIL BRANDS
10. Dollarama
Brand value: $771 million
9. Circle K (Couche-Tard)
Though not particularly common in Canada, Circle K convenience stores are located across the U.S. and parts of Asia.
Brand value: $875 million
8. Real Canadian Superstore (Loblaws)
Brand value: $922 million
7. Sobey's
Brand value: $1.093 billion
6. Home Hardware
Brand value: $1.242 billion
5. Lululemon
Brand value: $1.35 billion
4. Tim Hortons
Brand value: $1.48 billion
3. Canadian Tire
Brand value: $1.791 billion
2. Shoppers Drug Mart
Brand value: $1.926 billion
1. Loblaws
Brand value: $2.151 billion
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE TECH AND TELECOM BRANDS
10. Open Text Corp.
Brand value: $624 million
9. Cogeco
Brand value: $790 million
8. Bell Aliant
Brand value: $1.015 billion
7. CGI Group
Brand value: $1.301 billion
6. Quebecor
Brand value: $1.753 billion
5. Telus
Brand value: $3.019 billion
4. Shaw
Brand value: $3.191 billion
3. BlackBerry (RIM)
Brand value: $3.293 billion
2. Rogers
Brand value: $4.087 billion
1. Bell
Brand value: $5.258 billion
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE ENERGY BRANDS
10. Encana
Brand value: $418 million
9. Canadian Natural Resources
Brand value: $702 million
8. Syncrude
Brand value: $933 million
7. Suncor
Brand value: $936 million
6. Cenovus
Brand value: $1.109 billion
5. TransCanada
Brand value: $1.47 billion
4. Husky
Brand value: $1.607 billion
3. Petro-Canada
Brand value: $1.831 billion
2. Esso (Imperial Oil)
Brand value: $1.849 billion
1. Enbridge
Brand value: $4.726 billion
THE 10 MOST VALUABLE BANKING AND FINANCE BRANDS
10. Intact Financial
Brand value: $1.461 billion
9. Sun Life
Brand value: $1.474 billion
8. Great-West Lifeco
Brand value: $1.648 billion
7. National Bank of Canada
Brand value: $1.66 billion
6. Manulife
Brand value: $3.261 billion
5. CIBC
Brand value: $4.557 billion
4. Bank of Montreal (BMO)
Brand value: $5.36 billion
3. Scotiabank
Brand value: $5.717 billion
2. TD Bank
Brand value: $8.499 billion
1. Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
Brand value: $8.647 billion