Two of the 100 most valuable brands in the world are Russia's
biggest cellular provider, OAO Mobile TeleSystems (MBT), and the
Beeline trademark of rival operator OAO Vimpel Communications
(OVIP), business daily Vedomosti reports Wednesday based on an
international consultant's research.
MTS and Beeline ranked 72nd and 92nd, respectively, on the 2010
edition of the Brand Z list of top 100 global brands compiled by
Millward Brown Optimor, a division of U.K.-based advertising giant
WPP PLC (WPP.LN). The phone companies finished 71st and 72nd last
year; in terms of share of Russia's market, MTS and VimpelCom are
No. 1 and No 2.
Millward Brown said MTS's brand value increased by 6% from 2009,
to $9.72 billion (capitalization is $23.1 billion), while brand
growth for Beeline was 8%, to $8.16 billion (VimpelCom's
capitalization is $15.9 billion).
The Brand Z report, which began publishing in 2006, recognized
Russian natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) for the first
time, with a brand value estimated at $6.35 billion. That didn't
put the energy giant in the top 100, but it was ranked eighth among
worldwide oil and gas producers. Based on its $141.9 billion
capitalization, Gazprom is one of the world's biggest
companies.
Newspaper Web site: www.vedomosti.ru
Link to Brand Z report:
http://brandz.ogilvyeditions.com/top100/
-Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2900