Microsoft, Motorola Brands in Decline?

CoreBrands' survey on consumers' perceived power of brands finds, among tech companies, Microsoft and Motorola have seen significant erosion in the last four years.

Research firm CoreBrand has released the results of its 2007 CoreBrand Power 100 study (PDF), and finds that among technology companies, Microsoft and Motorola have seen significant erosion of their brand power over the last four years. The survey polls roughly 12,000 U.S. business decision makers and queries them about their awareness and perceptions of leading consumer brands. According to this year’s resuts, Microsoft has dropped from being the 12th ranked brand to number 59, where Motorola dropped from number 70 in 2004 to number 94 in 2007.

Oh, and Cupertino’s technology darling, Apple Inc.? Didn’t even make the cut.

CoreBrand asks respondents to rand brands according to three primary attributes: perception of management, investment potential, and overall reputation. CoreBrand found that while Microsoft’s brand is highly recognizable, it has declined significantly in all three attributes.

Among technology companies, IBM ranked number 18, Sony clocked in at number 21, and Xerox came in at 49. Other big technology names include Toshiba at 71, Canon at 82, Kodak at 85, Texas instruments at 86, and Verizon at 90.

Microsoft saw a -48 shift in placement between 2004 and 2007, but that doesn’t quiet put it at the bottom of the scale. Other major brands registering major slides over the same period include Nike at -21, Maytag at -31, Home Depot at -34, Sara Lee at -38, Whirlpool at -46, Kraft Foods at -49, and Nestléat -52. Brands that built their power over the same period were ABC (+81), Verizon (+52), L’Orél (+46), and American Greetings (+42).

And the number one most powerful brand, according to CoreBrand? Coca Cola. Unchanged since 2004. Number two? Johnson & Johnson.