So, as I’m sure you know: BusinessWeek & Interbrand have released the new Global Top 100 Brands.
There are no surprises and no new entrants in the top 10 positions, (last year’s positions in brackets):

1. Coca-Cola (1)
2. Microsoft (2)
3. IBM (3)
4. GE  (4)
5. Nokia (6)
6. Toyota (7)
7. Intel (5)
8. McDonalds (9)
9. Disney (8)
10. Mercedes-Benz (10)

Many factors are taken into account when creating the Global Top 100 list. The criteria are as follows:

• To qualify, each brand must derive at least a third of its earnings outside its home country and have publicly available Marketing and Financial data (already eliminating Visa and Wal-Mart).
• Only the strength of individual brand names, not brand portfolios, are ranked (cutting out Procter & Gamble).
• Airlines aren't ranked, as schedules and routes' impact on sales can’t be clearly differentiated.
• Pharmaceuticals aren’t ranked as consumers relate more to the products than the actual brand.
• Insurance companies are included this year as they are now differentiating themselves.

There were also a couple of surprises in this year’s listings, Google, for example, is now ranked at No. 20 (up from last years No. 24). Yahoo! didn't shift from position No. 55 and DELL, dropped 6 places to No. 31.

The top 5 gainers
AIG: Unrated last year, now at No. 47
AXA: Unrated last year, now at No. 49
Zara: 9 places to No. 64
Hermes: 8 places to No. 73
Nintendo: 7 places to No. 44

The top 5 droppers
Kodak: 12 places to No. 82
Ford: 11 places to No. 41
Gap: 9 places to No. 61
Pizza Hut: 8 places to No. 74
Motorola: 8 places to o. 77
BP: 8 places to No. 84
Nissan: 8 places to No. 98
Ok, ok so that's 7, but who's counting?

Sorry Bronwyn… Prada is only ranked at No. 94 this year…

Check out this 2006 vs. 2007 comparison.