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The General Sentiment Custom Media Value Report (MVR) provides insights by measuring the purchase equivalent value of a brand's exposure, as determined by sentiment, frequency, and exposure of news mentions and social dialogue. It combines this data with website traffic and online news readership figures, the MVR then determines the purchase equivalent dollar value of brand exposure across the Internet.

The organization measures impact by assigning positive value to all mentions and places value on the overall level of discussion and brand exposure. Perception value is measured by assigning positive value to positive mentions and negative value to negative mentions.

Not surprisingly, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Ford topped the Impact list. These brands have generated the largest exposure online and reached the most consumers, with Ford making a splash into the top five because of so much buzz around its vehicles last year. The excitement helped Ford realize $643 million in media value last year, according to General Sentiment.

Blackberry, Accenture, Hermès, Philips, and Colgate-Palmolive were the winners in Perception value, which General Sentiment says is the closest metric to true value for brands.

Some brands weren't perceived so well. SAP, HSBC, Barclays, Nescafé, and Hewlett-Packard topped the Perception Losers list. SAP, for instance, faced a mountain of negative press after losing a lawsuit to Oracle over copyright infringement.

This goes to show, that sometimes no news is good news and bad press can negatively affect a business. It comes down to how fast, nimble, and effective an organization can respond to negative buzz, contain it, and minimize the detractors in the social realm before it causes significant financial damage.