Macy’s

Macy’s zoomed up the list more than any other retailer, increasing its brand value by 62 percent to rank 40, up from 49 last year, according to Interbrand.

The retailer’s decision nearly a decade ago to drop all of its regional department store nameplates — from the Bon Marche in Florida to Marshall Field’s in Chicago – and convert them to the Macy’s brand has paid off, despite ample criticism at the time that the stores would lose their local flavor, Interbrand executives told Forbes.com, in an exclusive interview.

“It’s truly validated their commitment to a single brand strategy across markets in the U.S.,” said Justin Wartell, managing director of Interbrand Design Forum, Interbrand’s retail arm.

In turn, the department store has honed a consistent, “best-in-class, omni-channel” message via its brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce and mobile sites, firing on all cylinders with compelling merchandising initiatives, trend-right fashions, and by leveraging a roster of brands that appeal to its diverse shopping base — be they Michael Kors orRachael Ray, he said.
Also on Forbes: 10 Comeback Brands Of 2013
Amazon

The e-commerce pioneer’s brand value soared 46 percent, climbing to secure the number four spot on the list, up from nine in 2012.

Amazon continues to “demonstrate an understanding — in an incredibly intimate and specific way – of how consumers buy the products they choose and how [to be] relevant to those customers,” Jez Frampton, global CEO of Interbrand, told Forbes.com.

“And from a business standpoint, they continue to steal away [market] share held by retailers ranging from grocery chains to electronic retailers.”

When it comes to Amazon’s success, it’s no secret that the retailer has been the biggest beneficiary of showrooming, when shoppers browse brick-and-mortar stores to check out potential purchases, only to buy