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The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a ‘name, term, design, symbol, and all other features that identifies one seller's goods or services as distinct from those of other sellers.' Some familiar brands whose well-loved products are part of everyday life include Coca-Cola, Betty Crocker, Tide, and Fritos. A company's branding effort hopes to establish an identity for its product that makes it appear unique in the marketplace. Company branding also includes other elements that are based on the quality of the customer's transaction with a company's service or product. A brand also encompasses the value of trust. This issue of trust is an important one; in fact, it is the foundation of value-based company branding. To discover why some brands stay on top and others come and go, or disappear altogether, Entrepreneur magazine teamed up with The Values Institute DGWB of Santa Ana, California. They surveyed 1,000 subscribers of Entrepreneur and members of the general public. Participants were asked to rate specific American brands on the basis of five primary trust criteria: ability, concern, connection, consistency, and sincerity. According to Jim Stengel, author of Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World's Greatest Companies, "We're seeing more of an emphasis on brands building emotional relationships with consumers because it's powerful and it works. When you do it, you have a much stronger affinity, a much stronger business, much stronger growth and much stronger results." Below are the top 10 companies whose company branding is based on their perceived values, making them the most trustworthy brands in America: 1. Amazon. Operating 24x7 with millions of products, Amazon has managed to foster relationships with consumers, giving them multiple ways to bond with the company. Survey respondents rated Amazon highest in overall brand trust and in every individual trust value. 2. Coca-Cola. Through all points of customer contact, Coca-Cola wants its customers to enjoy their products. Respondents of the survey didn't give Coca-Cola one negative remark. 3. FedEx. Rated highest for ability, FedEx's corporate identity is one of reliability and efficiency. FedEx sees itself as a company entrusted with their customers' treasures, not just a mover of boxes. 4. Apple. Consumers like Apple's innovation and creativity. They trust the company's products and line up to get the next release, knowing that it will be even better than the last one. The Apple stores are “the best retail endeavor in history," says author Jim Stengel. 5. Target. An exceptional retail experience is Target's goal, and in the process of meeting that goal, Target customers get good products at a good price. Consistent design of Target stores builds confidence; customers know how to find what they want. 6. Ford. Consumers see Ford as a consistent and reliable company. The company branding has been very successful and stable in a market that has been inconsistent and volatile. 7. Nike. The retailer's can-do attitude strikes a chord with consumers, as does the company's branding of its innovative products. 8. Starbucks. The coffee shop is a hub of activity as people interact with the free Wi-Fi and each other. Starbucks' company branding is based on connectivity in a niche where they are consistent leaders. 9. Southwest Airlines. Dare to be different is the company branding edge for this energetic airlines. Southwest serves up airline service in a unique but consistent way. 10. Nordstrom. Customer service is the hallmark of this retailer. Scoring high for concern for the customer and quality of products, attentive service is Nordstrom's edge. In our transactional world where the ends justify the means, these 10 trustworthy companies demonstrate a different economy -- one based on values, where actions do speak louder than words. For more information visit : http://www.npsflnation.org/business-investment/
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