Apple +16%
Through the power of product design and the explosion of the iPod, Apple has gone beyond a brand and become a phenomenon. Once looked at as a laggard after ceding the PC software race to Microsoft, Apple is now outpacing its competition in innovation. Apple arguably leads in PC hardware design, PC operating systems, PC multimedia software, digital music players, and even online music retailing.
Its advertising is hailed as breakthrough, especially its now-iconic iPod campaign, which shows the MP3 player's white earphone cords against dayglow silhouettes of iPod customers.