Google isn't a mega brand

: Sherrie Perkovich

Was just reading Advertising Age's article about the Top 200 Mega Brands (http://adage.com/article?article_id=110554). Its an interesting article and one that I feel its methodology should either change or the report should be renamed something like Biggest Ad Spend by Brand. You see, the reports only basis for consideration as a mega brand is how much money a company spends on advertising. Period.

With companies like Google, Yahoo, and even MySpace coming on strong the last few years...and coming on strong with out a large, if any, (traditional) advertising budget. We need to acknowledge the power of these brands as mega brands beyond pure advertising spend. To not have a Google in this list just seems outrageous.

Gone are the days of TV ruling the day. The report does note online's growth...and yes, the industry big boys seem to be trucking along slowly...to add in more advanced advertising and marketing options. It would be a much more interesting and truer report to have an alternative method to measure the brands, beyond pure advertising spend and build a list of who the mega brands in the US really are. Maybe I'll go and Google it....