Marketing Society launches 'battle of the brands' site

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 30-Jun-08, 15:10

LONDON - The Marketing Society is to create a list of the best brands of the last 50 years and is asking consumers to vote for their favourites online.

The site, called 50goldenbrands.com, provides suggestions of the brands that typified each of the last 50 years and then invites visitors to challenge them and make their own suggestions.

The 50 golden brands search kicks off the Marketing Society's celebration of its 50th anniversary next year.

To stimulate discussion, the society's leading members have produced their own list of brands for each year including Barbie for 1959 and 60s fashion label Biba as the emblem of 1964.

British household names such as Heinz, Cadbury and Mini also feature in the 60s, while the 70s is dominated by classic retail brands such as Andrex, Coca-Cola, Hovis and Cadbury's Smash.

The 80s sees the emergence of media brands such as Channel 4 and The Independent, alongside Nike and Microsoft.

The century ends with mobile and new-media brands such as Orange, eBay and Google, and the trend continues into the 21st century with Apple IPod, 118 118 and O2, but also sees retailers such as M&S and Tesco emerge.

Hugh Burkitt, chief executive of the Marketing Society, said: "Marketers have played a major role in reflecting and shaping the last 50 years. Our 50 golden brands search will help more people to understand and appreciate the role that effective marketing plays in the growth and sustainability of modern businesses.

"But we want customers who are, of course, the real bosses to tell us what they think. Our 50 is there to be challenged and argued over and we are very much looking forward to hearing where they think we've got it wrong."