By Daniel Johnson, Partner/Co-Founder

The importance of data has generated a bit of discussion recently. For example, by referencing the power of tech companies and their ability to harvest and synthesize data, an Economist article argues that data is now more important than oil.

Another article that has circulated in the following time-lapse video presenting brand ranking over time since 2010.

THE TOP FIVE OF 2010 WERE:
1. Coca-Cola
2. IBM
3. Microsoft
4. GE
5. Nokia (yeah, no kidding!)

Also, that year, the “top growing” were Apple, Google and Blackberry (again, no kidding!). What a difference 8 years can make!

WHAT WE SEE AT THE END OF 2018:
1. Apple
2. Google
3. Amazon
4. Microsoft
5. Coca-Cola

Top growing? Amazon (so, it’s not done rising!), Gucci and Louis Vuitton (huh?! Obviously I’m not hip and fashionable).

Tech companies are powerful. An argument could be made that they were in 2010 as well. Afterall, IBM, Microsoft, GE and Nokia were merchants of technologies; they don’t sell burgers or handbags.

What’s important here, I’d wager, is that Apple, Google and Amazon (and Facebook, which is #9 on the list) all do one thing really well,
they know a lot about us.