The results of the latest Superbrands UK survey are in, with Mercedes-Benz earning the title of the United Kingdom's best car brand. Overall Mercedes-Benz placed third on the Superbrands list with an index rating of 92.73, trailing Google and Microsoft's scores of 100.00 and 98.56, respectively.  Other auto manufacturers receiving mention included BMW (which came in seventh in the Superbrands survey with an index of 79.29) and Jaguar (which earned the thirteenth spot on the list with a score of 75.71).

As for the complete list of brands rounding out the top ten, they are:


1.  Google  (Index: 100.00)
     Category: Internet - General

2.  Microsoft  (Index: 98.56)
     Category: Technology - Computer Hardware

3.  Mercedes-Benz  (Index: 92.73)
     Category: Automotive - Vehicle Manufacturer

4.  BBC  (Index: 85.25)
     Category: Media - TV Stations

5.  British Airways  (Index: 83.23)
     Category: Travel - Airlines

6.  Royal Doulton  (Index: 81.41)
     Category: Household - General

7.  BMW  (Index: 79.29)
     Category: Automotive - Vehicle Manufacturer

8.  Bosch  (Index: 78.59)
     Category: Household - Appliances

9.  Nike  (Index: 78.14)
     Category: Sportswear & Equipment

10. Sony  (Index: 77.47)
      Category: Technology - General


If you're wondering how the brands were chosen or what the rankings mean, here's some info on Superbrands survey.  First, an extensive database of the UK's leading brands is compiled by the independent TCAB (The Centre for Brand Analysis) organization from a wide variety of sources, ranging from sector reports to blogs.  1,350 of these brands are then short-listed, and a voluntary council of experts scores this list with a rating from 1-10.  To avoid bias, council members cannot score brands with which they have a direct association or are in direction competition to.  The lowest scoring brands (about 50%) are then eliminated.

From here, it's up to the public.  A nationally-representative group of more than 2,200 UK consumers on the YouGov panel are asked to vote on surviving brands, with the 500 highest awarded "Superbrand" status.  When considering brands, the group is asked to grade companies based on who they believe have the finest reputation in their respective fields, with key traits taken into account including quality, reliability and distinction.

So there you have it:  that, in a nutshell, is what a Superbrand is. To see the full list of companies that have managed to earn this elite status, you can find the complete PDF list of 500 Superbrands here.

Enjoy.