With news that the top 50 brands in Britain grew by £37.3 billion since last year, GrowthBusiness looks at which ones are leading the way.

For growth companies, developing a brand and then turning it into a market leading one is a crucial part of succeeding.

Building a strong brand helps foster customer loyalty, and ensure hits aren’t too hard felt if there is an issue.

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that the advertising and marketing industry contributed £10.2 billion in value to the UK economy during 2012 as part of its effort to build British brand value.

Using data from Brand Finance and the government’s GREAT Britain campaign, we’ve looked at what are the ten most powerful ones. From mobile phone operators to banks to retailers, the results show how much value some of the most well-known names have.

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, comments, ‘The £302 billion total value of the top 100 British brands stands as a testament to a thriving creative industry. Some brands like John Lewis may only operate here in the UK while others like Burberry or all our main telecoms brands have been exported around the world.

‘Whether still owned by British companies or not, these brands should make Britain proud of its world-leading marketing industry, which is something we should continue to nurture and invest in.’

Branding helps with entering new markets, closing acquisitions and hiring the right kind of people – all factors which go a long way to determining business longevity.