Allianz.com: a ten percent rise in the brand value, a small step forward in the ranking. Are you happy with where Allianz is placed in the Interbrand ranking?
Christian Deuringer: The Allianz brand value is growing quicker than the market itself, which meant we could edge forward in the ranking, moving up from 55th to 54th place. A success, especially if you bear in mind that we made a big step forward since 2007. Back then we entered the ranking in 80th place with a brand value of 4 billion US dollars. It has now grown to 8.5 billion, more than double what it once was. Our aim, of course, is to continue our ascent in the ranking. In the long-term we will use the strongest consumer good and technology brands as a yardstick.
What can we do to improve in that area?
Ultimately, it's all about operating in a much more customer-centric fashion. Major players like Apple show us how it's done: customers get a product tailored perfectly to their needs. Times when they wanted to grapple with something complicated are long gone. We have to work out what really makes our customers tick. The new positioning of our brand is an affirmation that our customers consciously take calculated risks. You can't really move forward in life if you don't. We are convinced we have chosen the right way as far as relevance and differentiation are concerned.
What is the significance of Interbrand?
