Remington built a brand around a lifestyle, which is incredibly difficult to pull off (think Harley-Davidson), but they did it superbly through a concept they call “Remington Country.”

Of course, Remington has a legacy dating back to 1816, so the company has an inherent ability to weave a lifestyle message into its brand, but that doesn’t negate the brilliant marketing spanning several decades that created this brand.

Remington products offer very good quality at what I would have to say is the best value proposition in the industry. I once bought a Model 700 that, out-of-the-box, shot an honest quarter minute of angle. I paid about $500 for the gun. Like we found in the case of Leupold, consumers associate Remington with top-tier quality at an affordable price.

Remington’s shotguns are legendary for waterfowl and upland birds, a big part of the “Remington Country” branding.

Having an ammunition division gives Big Green a leg up on their competitors as well, because they can orchestrate new cartridge developments much more easily. However, despite their built-in edge, the most significant recent cartridges have come from Winchester: the .40 S&W and the short-magnum craze.

Remington’s brand is nonetheless superbly managed and the lifestyle aspect remains its key strength.

To end my Top 5 Strongest Brands, I'm going to discuss a knife that is still the "one to own."