• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, September 6, 2012

Facebook held onto its top ranking in this year’s edition of Landor Associates’ annual Breakaway Brands Study, which identifies U.S. brands showing sustained brand-strength growth over a three-year period.

The 2012 study, spanning 2008 through 2011 performance, shows Facebook’s brand strength having grown by 206% during the period. 

The other brands making this year’s top 10 are Keurig (up 79% in brand strength), Skype (+77%), Amazon.com (+76%), Vizio (+66%), Samsung (+63%), YouTube (+63%), Netflix (+44%), the U.S. Marine Corp Corps (+43%) and Apple (+42%).
The study also identified three “brands to watch” that are showing exceptional brand-strength momentum:  Kobalt Tools, Foster Farms and Symantec/Norton.

To measure brand strength, Landor analyzed consumer data from Young & Rubicam Group’s BrandAsset Valuator U.S. database (based on 15,000-plus consumer interviews in each of the three years), evaluating against 48 measures of brand health. The Breakaway Brands are those that showed significant growth in both of the key measures that drive consumer preference and choice: brand differentiation (including distinctiveness, innovation and dynamism) and relevance (how appropriate it is to a consumer’s life).

Analysis of the data, in conjunction with Wake Forest University’s School of Business, revealed that the Breakaway Brands shared three key characteristics or strengths. Here are those three characteristics, and examples of some of the brands that epitomized them. Landor’s full analysis can be read on Forbes.com. 

*Connection:  Facilitating engagement through mini and macro communities. 

Key examples: Facebook, YouTube, Skype.

*Convenience:  Delivering more for less and making life easier for consumers. During tough socioeconomic times, many of the brands on the list exhibited an ability to offer consumers an affordable convenience that they otherwise wouldn’t have. 

Key examples: Amazon, Netflix, Apple, Samsung, Vizio, Keurig, Foster Farms.

*Confidence:  Ensuring that consumers can trust the brand to consistently deliver on its promise. 

Key examples: Norton, the U.S. Marine Corps.