For Fourth Year in a Row, Sony Named #1 in Harris Interactive's Best Brands Survey

For the fourth year in a row, and the sixth time in the last nine years, Sony has been chosen as the number one brand, according to the annual Harris Interactive® survey of the best brands. Since The Harris Poll® began measuring "best brands" in 1995, Sony has been named number one six times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003). "This poll underlines very strongly the linkage between corporate reputation and brand image," Harris Interactive stated in a press release issued July 23, 2003.

This year's poll reflects the results of an online survey of 879 adults in the United States conducted between June 16 and June 22, 2003. The survey asked respondents to name the three brands they considered the best. In the nine years since Harris Interactive began asking this question, Sony has never been lower than third. Sony led this year's list followed by Kraft, Dell, General Motors and Microsoft. The results of the survey were released today.

"We are very proud that The Harris Poll respondents continue to recognize Sony's brand value across all of our businesses from electronics to videogames, motion pictures, television, digital entertainment and music," said Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO, Sony Corporation of America. "Our ability to continually sustain this strong brand recognition is a reflection of Sony's commitment to quality and innovation, together with the indomitable passion and dedication of our employees around the world."

Sony Corporation of America, based in New York City, is the U.S. subsidiary of Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. Sony is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, motion picture, television, computer entertainment, and online businesses make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment Inc., and Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of over $62.3 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, and it employs 161,100 people worldwide. Sony's consolidated sales in the U.S. for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, was $20 billion. Sony Corporation of America's homepage is: http://www.sony.com/SCA/index.html.

Harris Interactive® (www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll®, and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research through wholly-owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe (www.hieurope.com) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V

SOURCE: Sony Corporation of America

CONTACT: Lisa Gephardt of Sony Corporation of America, +1-212-833-6826,
Lisa_Gephardt@sonyusa.com; Nancy Wong of Harris Interactive, 585-214-7316,
nwong@harrisinteractive.com

Web site: http://www.sony.com/
http://www.sony.com/SCA/index.html
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/
http://www.hieurope.com/