John Lewis is ranked among influential list
RETAIL giant John Lewis has surged into a ranking of Britain’s most influential brands, as the group’s partnership approach to doing business and a record year for till receipts propelled it into the top three.
TLG’s annual index of UK Business Thought Leaders ranks John Lewis below Apple and Google but above other respected names including Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft. It is eight places above nearest retail rival Marks & Spencer, while Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic leaves the top 10 for the first time in 12th place. Another newcomer is smoothie-maker Innocent, set up by three Cambridge graduates 12 years ago01.
Apple extended its leadership over Google following the successful launch of its iPad tablet computer and the fourth generation of its iPhone handset.
John Lewis chairman Charlie Mayfield said: “I’m delighted that the John Lewis Partnership is recognised as progressive as a business today as it was when our founder took the radical move to hand ownership to the employees 80 years ago. This award is recognition of the 70,000 partners in John Lewis and Waitrose who shape our contribution to wider public and political debate.”
TLG’s index measures the influence of brands both in Britain and the US by asking key opinion formers to rank leading companies according to their “thought leadership” power.
Malcolm Gooderham, founder of TLG, said: “The influence of Thought Leaders goes beyond their sector. John Lewis’ brand has become a byword for quality customer service and product, but also for a way of doing business. It is ‘how’ a company does business that defines corporate reputation, not just what it sells.”
Within the US rankings, Apple and Google are first and second, with Southwest Airlines in third place. Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft are fourth, fifth and Sixth.
UK BUSINESS THOUGHT LEADERS |
1 Apple
2 Google
3 John Lewis
4 Amazon
5 Facebook
6 Microsoft
7 Innocent
8 Co-Op Group
9 Co-Op Bank
10 Twitter
11 Marks & Spencer
12 Virgin Atlantic
13 Tesco
14 Rolls Royce
15 News Corporation
16 McKinsey
17 Nike
18 BAE Systems
19 KPMG
20 EDF