Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York & Los Angeles

This week, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) released The WWD 100. This is based on the top 100 brands women consumers know best; it is the ninth year the survey is published. WWD commissioned Synovate, a market research firm based in New York to conduct surveys among global opinion panels. The focus group was comprised of women ages 18 to 64 with an income of at least $35,000. They were given a list of 788 brands in 12 categories (denim, swimwear, sportswear, etc.) to determine whether they were “very familiar,” “somewhat familiar,” or “not familiar at all.” Along with the top 100, there are several sub lists of top ten categories including, top 10 ready-to-wear, top 10 young contemporary, etc.

So let’s get to the numbers! A few of the big names making the list are as follows:

At 100, Chloe (one of my favorites) barely made it in. This Paris fashion house recently went through some change when Phoebe Philo resigned to raise her family. It was a shocker and a sad day in the world of fashion when this happened, but luckily, the house has not been defeated. I look forward to seeing it higher on the list next year. Mossimo ranked in at 85—this is a fete in itself, not so long ago this once prestigious brand went bankrupt until Target bought the license—now it is to be sold to the large corporate umbrella of the Iconix Brand Group. Way to go Mossimo! Generating $580 million in revenue, The Limited came in at 40 after a major transition and upgrade of stock. Not only does The Limited cater to every type of woman but it has undergone a facelift and recent offerings include skinny jeans, eyelets and lace—a different style from the traditional black suit we are so used to seeing them carry.

AND finally, topping the list at the coveted number one most recognized brand was none other than Hanes-- Look who they’ve got the Hanes on now! With an estimated $2.3 billion sales this year, this division of Sara Lee (yes the same corporation who makes the cakes) is now spinning off into it’s own independent company called Hanesbrands, Inc. Hanes is not only number one this year but has been for the past three years.

What makes a brand so popular and recognizable to female consumers? According to WWD, product placement in movies, media and on the red carpet, along with advertising and celebrity endorsements attributes to popularity. Hanes alone spent $75 million on their most recent ad campaign—and we all know the song (see above in case you have been living under a rock.) Now we can see that product placement really does pay a part in the grand scheme of things when consumer brand awareness is concerned—so yes, our job really does make a difference! Think about that the next time you go out and buy something because a certain beauty director at your favorite magazine says it’s her favorite product.