- Todd Wasserman

NEW YORK Over the past three years, Apple has both grown its brand the most and stayed true to what it stands for, according to a new ranking by Landor Associates.

Landor, working with AOL's Daily Finance, culled the list of Young & Rubicam Brands' Brand Asset Valuator to find what it calls the "Breakaway Brands of 2009." Landor looked at data over the past three years to determine which brands had the most sustained brand strength over that time.

Apple got the nod for the continued popularity of its iPod and iPhone, said Susan Nelson, executive director of consumer insight at Landor. "They were always differentiated, but not relevant," she said. "The iPod and iPhone made them relevant."

No. 2 on the list, Google, had the advantage of being the most recognizable brand in a growing medium, the Internet. More of a surprise was No. 3, Haagen-Dazs. Nelson said that brand had fought a "cheesy [1980s] Dynasty-esque" brand image by releasing products that appeal to the health conscious (like the Five line made of five ingredients) and to gourmands (like its luxe Reserve line). Hallmark, meanwhile, got a shout out for seamlessly transitioning to the digital era. (Both Hallmark and the Super Bowl, which are mentioned in the top 10, are Landor clients.)

Nelson said she is just starting to see the impact of the recession, but the brands that have fared best are those with a value orientation or ones that anticipated the end of what she calls "the age of consumption."

2009 Breakaway Brands:
  1. Apple
  2. Google
  3. Haagen-Dazs
  4. Hallmark
  5. National Geographic TV
  6. Payless ShoeSource
  7. PayPal
  8. Special K
  9. Super Bowl
10. Trader Joe's