Kantar BrandZ: Apple most valuable brand as it hits new milestone
U.S. tech brands once again dominate the upper tier of an annual ranking of the 100 most valuable brands in the world.
Apple took the top spot for the third consecutive year in Kantar BrandZ’s “Most Valuable Global Brands Report 2023.” The tech giant also marked an important milestone today, becoming the world’s first trillion-dollar brand. The annual ranking combines analyzed financial data with extensive brand equity research.
Apple is joined at the top of the ranking by Google, with a brand value of $753.4 billion; Microsoft at $712.8 billion, and Amazon at $576.8 billion. McDonald’s takes the fifth spot, with a brand value of $221.9 billion. Rounding out the top 10: Nvidia, Visa, Facebook, Oracle and Tencent.
The 2024 BrandZ ranking underscores the resilience of top brands, with the total brand value of the Global Top 100 rebounding 20% to reach $8.3 trillion, close to the 2022 peak of $8.7 trillion. Since its launch in 2006, the brand value of the Global Top 100 has increased 474%. The threshold to make the Top 100 has increased 354% from $4 billion to $19 billion.
The report also contains 13 category rankings of the most valuable brands.
Highlights from three of the categories are below.
Retail: Amazon retains its position as the most valuable retail brand with brand value growth of 6%. Behind this, innovation around product accessibility, as well as pricing sensitivity to changing consumer behaviours delivered strong performances for Lowe’s, Aldi, TJ Maxx, as well as regional e-commerce giants Pinduoduo and Mercado Libre.
Apparel: Nike retains its No.1 brand position in apparel, but the gap between competitors has narrowed. Zara’s 47% growth made it the second biggest riser in terms of rank change in the Global Top 100, rising 24 places to No.70.
Lululemon’s innovative approach to athleisure and commitment to quality delivered 24% brand value growth, lifting it into the Global Top 100 for the first time.
Luxury: Louis Vuitton remains the most valuable brand in the luxury category with a brand valuation of $130 billion. Hermès has also excelled by enhancing its exclusivity and premium pricing, thriving in both US and Chinese markets, leading to a 23% growth in brand value.
Methodology
Kantar’s annual global and local brand valuation rankings combine rigorously analyzed financial data, with extensive brand equity research.
The ability of any brand to power business growth relies on how it is perceived by customers. Grounded in consumer opinion, Kantar BrandZ analysis enables businesses to identify their brand’s strengths in the market and provides clear strategic guidance on how to boost value for the long-term.
The brands ranked must meet these eligibility criteria:
- The brand is owned by a company listed on a stock exchange, or by a private company with its financials available in the public domain.
- Unicorn brands have their most recent valuation publicly available.