Superbrands Canada represents the culmination
of the vision and efforts of a lot of people, both at Superbrands and at
the many companies that are represented in this first issue. I thank you all
for your ability to recognize a great product and understand its importance
to the ongoing task of branding.
Superbrands Canada provides readers with a benchmark of some of the
truly great brands that have flourished in this country. Some are home
grown; some have come from other countries and established themselves
here, evolving into household names.
What makes a Superbrand and how does one make the cut? The
Superbrands Council of Canada creates the list of Canadian Superbrands.
The Council Members, who are some of the most distinguished figures in
branding, marketing, advertising and public relations in this country, have
used their expertise, gained through years of branding experience with
many different products and services, to choose which Canadian companies
qualify as Superbrands. Most of these companies and organizations
are instantly recognizable to the general public because they have built
their identity on high-quality products and excellent service. These companies
compete in markets driven by price, quality, service and reputation.
To be declared a Superbrand demands that a company withstand the pressures
from the market and continually deliver on all their promises.
The profiles on the pages that follow illustrate how these brands have
evolved and continually adapt to meet new challenges from the marketplace.
Whether the market demands better fuel efficiency, lower trans fats, increased
ergonomics or a cool factor that makes consumers want to own it, the companies
featured here have met and exceeded those demands year after year.
We also asked the Brand Council and the featured brands in this volume
to select two charitable organizations which they feel qualify as Canadian
Superbrands. We are proud to feature The United Way of Canada and the
Heart & Stroke Foundation in this first edition of Superbrands Canada.
These nonprofit institutions raise money and awareness in the pursuit of
the betterment of the health and welfare of humanity and are thus truly
deserving of Superbrand status.
Richard E. Brown
Superbrands Canada
