Mercedes, BMW and Toyota have been voted the world's most favoured brands.

Consumer researcher NOP World's questioned more than 30,000 people in 43 countries for its 2004 Global Advocacy Study. Over half of the customer base of these companies is classified as "active brand advocates," individuals so passionate about a particular brand that they are likely to help spread the word about its benefits and recommend its products.

Each person taking part in the study was placed into one of four categories: active brand advocates, brand committed, fulfilled and indifferent based on how close they feel to the brand.

With 59% of its customers falling into the category of "active brand advocates," Mercedes was identified as the advocacy leader.

The 10 most advocated brands according to the study:

1. Mercedes ......................................................59%
2. BMW .............................................................53%
3. Toyota ..........................................................51%
4. Nokia ............................................................50%
5. Sony .............................................................46%
6. Estee Lauder ..................................................43%
7. Lancome ........................................................43%
8. Clinique .........................................................42%
9. Ford ...............................................................41%
10. Nike .............................................................38%

Tim Wragg, global director of NOP World's Customer Management Center of Excellence, says: "Through the identification of active advocates, organizations can develop highly tailored marketing initiatives aimed at those most likely to spread the message and regularly say good things about the brand. In an increasingly splintered marketplace where the impact of advertising is faltering, companies can no longer afford to overlook the word-of-mouth potential that this segment offers."

The worldwide survey covered 43 brands and included in-depth personal interviews with over 30,000 13 to 65-year-olds across 30 countries.