It's difficult to imagine a more inspirational branding success story than Apple. Steve Jobs had a vision to create technology that would change the world; and it all started in his garage in 1976. Competing against Microsoft, the largest electronics and computer company at the time, he had to put everything into creating new and unique technology to surpass the top dog of the industry. When Apple introduced the iPod, it changed the way people listened to music. Followed by the iPhone and the iPad, Apple was turning heads and getting noticed. Steve Jobs understood that consumers are constantly looking for the next big thing, the next hot trend and so he gave his audience exactly what they wanted. Along with his incredibly innovative ideas, the always elegant, sleek, and modern approach of Apple's branding caught everyone's attention.

This is one of the few examples that show how a company that communicates a clear brand promise and actually constantly delivers this promise over time, eventually builds solid number loyal customers. A consistent and clear offering together with a positive brand experience puts the customer at ease, because they know exactly what to expect each time they engage with the brand.

With the volume of competition that businesses face in most industries, it's never been more important to stand out and develop a unique identity and value proposition through strategic branding. While it's obviously important to offer a quality product or service, effective branding is often at the heart of the companies that thrive and to achieve this, companies employ certain marketing strategies such as innovation, keeping on top of consumer changes and overall staying passionate about the product.

We at siliconindia understand the how much business value is driven by a brand critical for marketers. Hence, we present to you our yearly special Brand of the Year edition. The issue identifies that one company across several verticals that has not just made a mark for itself as a brand in the industry but also emerges with sustainable competitive advantage. We would like to congratulate all the companies that are a part of this special edition.