Right of Reply: Marcel Knobil

The Chairperson of the Superbrands Council responds

to our leading article

NOT ONLY do superbrands reflect people's lifestyles, but they are often responsible for driving them. McDonald's, for example, is not only an icon for the hamburger but has also transformed the way we eat. As many as 2.5 million customers are served by McDonald's on a daily basis.

The National Lottery, a new superbrand on the scene, has had a tremendous impact on our lives. Over 60 per cent of the country play regularly and more than 90 per cent of the UK population are estimated to have played at least once.

It therefore comes as no surprise that these two brands featured amongst the top 12 chosen by the public when the research agency Infratest Burke asked: "If you were going to bury a time capsule containing branded products and services, which you thought best represented Britain in the past 10 years of the 20th century, what would they be?"

The 12 brands chosen were: Adidas; BBC; Bell's; BT; Coca-Cola; Heinz; Manchester United; McDonald's; National Lottery; St Michael from Marks & Spencer; Visa and the Yellow Pages.

Although a number of these brands originated more than 100 years ago, they have evolved with us and become our friends. Past research which we have commissioned concluded that the British public find brands such as Marks & Spencer's label St Michael much more caring and trustworthy than the Royal Family and the two major political parties. We shall soon be revealing the results of research that I am confident will show that this scenario has not changed.

I therefore believe that when the superbrands capsule is raised in 100 years' time, our descendants will learn a considerable amount from its contents.