Recessions come and go but this time round, the number of big names falling by the wayside has been unprecedented and high streets around the country are beginning to look empty.

So where did these brands go wrong? The Centre for Brand Analysis (CBA), which carries out annual research among consumers and business professionals to find out who they consider to be the top superbrands, believes success hinges on reputation. And this year’s top ten supports this argument.

In are Google, Rolls Royce, Sony, Microsoft, Nokia, GlaxoSmithKline, London Stock Exchange, Michelin, BP and Bupa. Out are British Airways and the FT, to name but two. BA dropped an astounding 28 places, in part for last year’s debacle over the opening of T5, which saw bags lost in their thousands and hundreds of flights cancelled, severely damaging its reputation among travellers.

Reduction in brand value

When the CBA released this year’s top ten, chief executive Stephen Cheliotis noted the impact of once loyal customers going the opposite way: 'A reduction in the brand value of BA in financial terms could be significant. If advocates become critics and flyers that might have chosen BA by default consider exploring alternatives, BA could experience more headaches in the coming year.' When the recession is biting, people want names they can rely on, and if BA had handled the T5 crisis differently, it might be in a better place today. Consumer confidence, once dented, is hard to regain.

So what is it that puts the ‘super’ in the superbrand? These are the organisations that have seen the peaks and troughs of commercial life and come through them. Why they survive boils down to their ability to offer customers tangible benefits, in terms of quality, reliability and distinctiveness.

To be a customer favourite, a brand has to keep standards high. Cut corners to save money and quality might drop too; once that happens, customers feel cheated. And more fool those that also make the mistake of disrespecting their employees.

That person working at Microsoft, for example, is also a father and a husband, and remembering this is crucial. Companies often forget that if they don’t treat people well, particularly in hard times when job cuts are widespread, the bad feelings that result can ruin reputations.

Invest in R&D

Another reason superbrands are super is because they keep investing, even in a recession. Those in the top ten have significant R&D budgets, and while they may make cuts, they won’t pull budgets altogether because they know investing in the future is key to success.

This is reflected in the Superbrands charts – in recent years, there has been a rise in technology brands reaching this status. Google has held top business position for two years now, and Nokia and Microsoft are also in there. These are the types of organisation that by their very essence are modern and forward thinking; they invest heavily in R&D and future proofing, so their ongoing value is quite evident.

On the other hand, while Royal Doulton may have been a household name, it hadn’t changed or moved on for years. Some of the older, more established brands such as this one have dropped out of the top ten because they are seen to be old fashioned, their finger no longer on the pulse. To succeed, a brand needs that consumer zeitgeist and to be seen as relevant to customers.

There are a lot of lessons to be learnt here. All organisations, regardless of their size or status, have to act like a superbrand at times, whether it’s in future proofing or in their attitude towards staff and customers. Emulate these elements of a superbrand and you might just make it to the next recession.