Law Society voted strongest UK business superbrand, associations and accreditations sector

24 February 2010

The Law Society has been voted the strongest brand in the Association & Accreditation sector securing 75th position overall in the prestigious Business Superbrands 2010 survey, finishing above all other brands in the legal category. The annual survey is compiled by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA), on behalf of the Superbrands organisation, and examines the views of a panel of experts and over 1,700 UK business professionals in order to identify the UK's strongest business brands.

The Law Society secured top spot for the second year running among all associations and accreditations as well as all legal brands and rose in the rankings from 118th last year to its current position. The category remains one of the most highly represented in the top 500, with 21 brands securing Business Superbrands status this year. www.superbrands.uk.com/lawsociety

Sitting behind The Law Society in the rankings is Virgin Trains (76), Cable and Wireless (82), CBI (76), Panasonic (91), RAC (92), Goldman Sachs (107) and Daily Telegraph (116). A full list is available on pdf - please email melissa.davis@lawsociety.org.uk

Support Services Category Results – Business Superbrands 2010:

Category Rank Brand Support Services Sub-Category Overall Rank
1 THE LAW SOCIETY ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 75
2 CBI ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 86
3 ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 113
4 RIBA ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 114
5 ICAEW ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 165
6 KITEMARK ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 170
7 IOD ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 174
8 ABTA ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 184
9 BSI ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 216
10 THE FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION ASSOCIATIONS & ACCREDITATIONS 223

The Top 10 Results

2010 Top 10 Rank 2009 To 10
MICROSOFT 1 GOOGLE
ROLLS-ROYCE GROUP 2 ROLLS-ROYCE GROUP
BLACKBERRY 3 SONY
VIRGIN ATLANTIC 4 MICROSOFT
GOOGLE 5 NOKIA
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE 6 GLAXOSMITHKLINE
GLAXOSMITHKLINE 7 LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE
BRITISH AIRWAYS 8 MICHELIN
VISA 9 BP
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS 10 BUPA

Desmond Hudson, Chief Executive of the Law Society, says: "It is an honour to be awarded number one in category, for the second year running, in one of the most highly represented categories in the top 500. No other legal brand has ranked above us for two years running. It is testament to the hard work and dedication of our communications team, led by Stephen Ward and including Michelle Leahair, Head of Brand Development and Melissa Davis, Head of Media, who have worked closely with the business on a number of extremely successful campaigns to strengthen the Law Society brand in the last year. In an extremely competitive market this year we moved 43 places - the objective for next year is to move even further up the rankings to better support and promote our members."

Stephen Cheliotis, Chairman of the expert council & CEO, The Centre for Brand Analysis, said: "I congratulate all of the Associations and Accreditation organisations that have achieved Business Superbrands status for 2010, in particular I applaud the Law Society for leading the sector again and securing a credible 75th position in the overall rankings."

Now in its eighth year, Business Superbrands identifies and pays tribute to the country's strongest Business-Business brands.

Notes for Editors

* The Law Society has developed its brand in partnership with DML Marketing Group over the past 8 years. www.dmlmarketing.co.uk

For more information and interviews with Des Hudson please contact Melissa Davis in the Law Society press office on 020 73205811

Business Superbrands Selection Process – Summary

The UK's Business Superbrands are chosen by a panel of Experts and over 1,700 individual business executives from across the UK. Brands do not pay or apply to be considered. The business executives' vote is the culmination of an independent selection process which considers thousands of brands from over 50 sectors.

Business Superbrands Selection Process – Detail

The entire selection process is administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA). The key stages of the selection process are as follows:

• TCBA researchers compile a list of the UK's leading business to business brands, drawing on a wide range of sources from sector reports to blogs. From the thousands of brands initially considered, a list of just over 1,200 brands is created.

• These brands are scored by the independent and voluntary Expert Council, which is assembled and chaired by TCBA's chief executive. Bearing in mind the given definition of a Business Superbrand (see below), the council members individually award each brand a rating from 1-10. Council members are not allowed to score brands with which they have a direct association or are in competition to. The lowest-scoring brands (approximately 40 per cent) are eliminated at this stage.

• The remaining brands are voted on by more than 1,700 individual business professionals – defined as those who have either purchasing or managerial responsibilities. These individuals are accessed via a YouGov panel.

• Taking the views of the experts and the business professionals into equal account, a combined score is produced for each brand. This score determines its position in the official league table; only the top 500 brands in that table are deemed to be Business Superbrands.

Business Superbrands Definition

When voting on the brands, both the Expert Council and the business professionals consider the following definition of a Business Superbrand: ‘A Business Superbrand has established

the finest reputation in its field. It offers customers significant emotional and/or tangible advantages over its competitors, which customers want and recognise.' In addition, experts and professionals are asked to judge the brands against the following three factors:

• Quality. Does the brand represent quality products and services?

• Reliability. Can the brand be trusted to deliver consistently against its promises and maintain product and service standards at all customer touch points?

• Distinction. Is the brand not only well known in its sector but suitably differentiated from its competitors? Does it have a personality and values that make it unique within its market place?

Business Superbrands Expert Council 2010

Jaakko Alanko, Managing Director - McCann Erickson Business Communications
James Ashton, Reporter – The Sunday Times
Richard Bush, Founder and Managing Director - Base One Group
Chris Clarke, Group Executive Creator Director - LBi
Paul Edwards, Chairman – TNS-Research International UK
Pamela Fieldhouse, Corporate MD - Edelman UK
Clamor Gieske, Manager – Vivaldi Partners
Richard Glasson, Chief Executive - GyroHSR
Richard Groom, Head of Consultancy - Groom Associates
Joanna Higgins, Consultant Editor & Writer - CBSi
Darrell Kofkin, Chief Executive - Global Marketing Network
Kate Manasian, Director - Manasianandco
Ruth Mortimer, Associate Editor – Marketing Week
Marc Nohr, Managing Partner - Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw
Phil Nunn, Executive Media Director – TBWA Group
Andrew Pinkess, Director of Strategy & Marketing Director - LBi
Russell Place, Chief Strategy Officer - UM
Shane Redding, Managing Director - Think Direct
Elizabeth Renski, Editor-in-Chief – CEO Today
Matthew Stibbe, Writer-in-Chief - Articulate Marketing
Giles Thomas, Chief Operating Officer – Branded
Richard Williams, Founding Partner - Williams Murray Hamm
Chris Wilson, Director – The Team
Andrew Worlock, Director - Insidedge
Simon Wylie, Founding Partner & Managing Director - Xtreme Information

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