Toyota's massive recalls have caused it to drop from 8th to 11th place, losing 16 percent of its brand value, according to Interbrand's latest ranking of the Best Global Brands, released on Wednesday. Ford's launch of the new Fiesta, which became a fixture on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and Facebook, was praised as one of the best examples of "how to use social media." Curiously, Harley-Davidson tumbled in the rankings, falling to the number 98 spot from 73rd position in 2009. The drop reflects a 24 percent loss in brand value, noted Interbrand. But it offered no explanation for why Harley-Davidson took a hit.
Interbrand pointed out that Mercedes-Benz, at number 12, and BMW, at number 15, "were able to sustain and build their value through innovative design and a focus on delivering premium value vehicles with luxury features." Audi, at number 63, "led industry growth this year with a 9 percent increase in its brand value," said Interbrand in a statement.
Coca-Cola was the number-one brand in the 2010 survey, followed by IBM.
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