The annual Brand Z report tracks the value of the world’s most valuable brands. The new 2018 report has some astonishing figures:
- There has been a record growth in value of 21% over the last year
- The total brand value of the 2018 top 100 is $4.4 trillion
- Every category has seen growth (the first time this has ever happened)
- China continues to grow its presence (Tencent and Alibaba rank in the top 10)
The top 10
- Google
- Apple
- Amazon
- Microsoft
- Tencent
- Facebook
- Visa
- McDonalds
- Alibaba
- AT&T
Key trends identified in the report
‘The Amazon effect’ – emergence of competitors (often selling via Amazon) who benefit from low cost of entry, wide reach, instant credibility generated by peer reviews and benefiting from the Amazon brand.
Artificial intelligence – becoming an everyday reality to help improve product development, service and differentiation.
Voice tech – voice powered home assistants (e.g. Alexa) showing brands the importance of voice as a brand asset.
Privacy and trust – the sharing of personal data becoming more of a concern to consumers.
Using AR – brands finding new and creative ways to use AR software and apps help consumers.
Continued growth of fintech and blockchain – trust and transparency driving this growth.
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Adidas, Instagram and Uber – lessons from three new top brands
Three brands, new to the top 100, have benefited from tech and partnerships. Adidas has grown its value by 50% in the last year and has focused on being more customer centric. It has also launched what it calls a speedfactory to help it develop and market new lines more quickly. It offers 3D printing of products in selected stores and has sold 1 million+ shoes made from ocean waste.
Instagram has entered the top 100 partly because its young and more affluent audience is very attractive to brands. It rolls out new products or services that have been audience generated, e.g. Stories or the follow hashtag feature.
Uber appears for the first time despite negative press over the last year. It says this is because it makes its users’ lives easier – a powerful engine of growth.
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The full report – it’s long but has lots of nice infographics – can be downloaded here.
Source: Marketing Week