IBM is the most valuable B2B brand of 2014 with a brand value of $107,541 million, according to The ‘BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands Study commissioned by WPP and produced by Millward Brown. The article puts Microsoft in second place, with a brand value of $90,185 million, followed by GE with a brand value of $56,685 million. Interestingly this is the biggest difference between two brands placing next to each other. 

Comment on the following statement from that article “From a branding point of view, B2B is still often seen as less glamorous and less important than its radiant consumer facing sister. I’ve always found this surprising given that branding is crucially important in the world of B2B where competitive advantage and differentiation is so difficult to establish, let alone maintain”. 

Why is B2B branding so undervalued given the success of companies like IBM, Microsoft and others?