Banking 500 - World's Top Banking Brands
A review of the top financial service brands in the world - the Top 1 to 5 Banking Brands in 2008 are below. Download Full Top 500 Global Banking Brands (PDF).
Our previous ranking used reported financial information through 31/12/05. To ensure this year's brand ranking included the effects of the sub-prime crisis, we have used IBES (Institutional Brokers Estimate System) consensus forecast data to estimate 2007 results, and our ranking compares brand value with market capitalisation as at 31/12/07.
1. HSBC (2005 ranking: 2)
Brand Value: $35,456m (2005: $33,495m)
Brand Rating: AAA (2005: AAA)
Country: Great Britain
The most valuable banking brand in the world also achieves the highest Brand Rating of AAA.
HSBC portrays itself as a large, powerful global bank, and has opted for a uniform brand identity. Brand building has been supported by high profile advertising to ensure global awareness and appeal. The bank projects a universal image with the help of the tagline "The world's local bank."
2. Citi (Citigroup) (2005 ranking: 1)
Brand Value: $27,817m (2005: $35,148m)
Brand Rating: AA (2005: AAA-)
Country: USA
The drop in the Citi brand rating, from AAA- in 2005 to AA this year, has led to its slip to second place in our league table. This is largely due to the dent in its reputation resulting from the sub-prime crisis.
3. Bank of America (2005 ranking: 3)
Brand Value: $25,456m (2005: $31,426m)
Brand Rating: AA+ (2005: AAA-)
Country: USA
Bank of America (BofA) is one of the largest U.S. banks by market capitalisation. In 2007 the bank announced its new campaign “Bank of Opportunity” seeking to articulate a value proposition of "helping individuals, businesses and communities around the world realize opportunities to achieve their goals".
4. Santander (2005 ranking: 5)
Brand Value: $20,718m (2005: $17,063m)
Brand Rating: AA- (2005: AA-)
Country: Spain
In 2007 Santander acquired ABN AMRO in a consortium with Fortis and Royal Bank of Scotland, specifically its operations in Latin America and Italy.
Santander is already ranked sixth in the Brazilian market (in terms of deposits and loans), and after the integration of ABN it will become the third largest bank in that country by assets.
5. American Express (2005 ranking: 4)
Brand Value: $16,183m (2005: $18,109m)
Brand Rating: AAA (2005: AAA-)
Country: USA
The American Express (AmEx) brand value of $16,183 million represents 31% of the company’s market capitalisation, the highest brand value to market capitalisation ratio of the top 20 brands.