Business Superbrands: An Insight into the World's Strongest B2B Brands

Edited By Marcel Knobil

Business Superbrands is the result of a major project to identify how business to business brands have become leaders in their individual sectors. It reflects the fact that the branding issue is no longer for consumer products only but has become highly relevant in the B2B arena. 

The Business Superbrands Council consists of leading figures from the  marketing and communications world and it has been their task to identify 50 brands that are the strongest business to business brands in Britain. Clearly this is no easy choice. There is some overlap with the sister book, (consumer) Superbrands, so Vodafone, for example, appears in the consumer book although it is certainly a stronger brand than One 2 One which is included here. Furthermore, many of the brands covered are also consumer brands. 

The book is a series of case studies of the 50 brands. This covers the brand's history, development, achievements, brand values & positioning and communications. For each of the brands there is a colourful two-page overview that is easy to read but also concise and informative. 

This is an excellent reference book and a coffee table book for branding. The only criticism is that while the profiles themselves are excellent, there is no summary that looks to tie them together and create a set of best practices for successful business to business branding. Nevertheless, it is certainly easy to learn from this book, see what others have done well and apply them to your own brand.

Review by Martin Payne