Britons have picked Sony as their nation's best brand. The electronics maker came in first in the inaugural HI Europe Poll conducted recently among 4,098 Britons (aged 15+). Heinz, Marks and Spencer,
Kellogg's, Tesco, Flora, Coca-Cola, Boots, Nestlé, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten. Across the Atlantic, Americans also picked Sony as their nation's best brand in a poll conducted earlier
this year by Harris Interactive, parent company of HI Europe. Only Kellogg's and Coca-Cola were able to join Sony on the British and U.S. top ten lists. The differences between these lists, rather
than the similarities, suggest that there is no shortage of challenges facing brands that aspire to rank highly on both sides of the Atlantic. Huge, global fast moving consumer goods brands such as
Kraft, Procter & Gamble, and Pepsi-Cola made little to no impression on Britons despite ranking among America's ten best brands. Great Britain's top ten list included no automotive companies while
America's list included Ford and General Motors. In Great Britain, nationwide retail brands were far stronger than in the U.S., and retail shops such as Marks and Spencer, Tesco and Boots received
high marks. Retail brands were altogether absent from America's top-ten list. Cadbury and Nestlé ranked among Great Britain's best brands but received nary a mention from Americans.
