We are in the era of intangibles and the immaterial economy. Proof is that the economic value of the 100 most expensive brands as a whole has exceeded the barrier of three trillion dollars for the first time, according to the latest Best Global Brands report published by the consulting firm Interbrand.
At a time when the world economy is caught between recession and stagflation, brands continue to rise steadily, posting 16% growth this year, the highest ever recorded since this ranking was published 23 years ago.
Much of this rise is attributable to the growing power of technology brands, which are also increasing the gap with other sectors. Apple consolidates its undaunted leadership since dethroning Coca-Cola in 2013, heading into its first decade at the top. The Cupertino apple is worth more than 482,000 million dollars.
It is surprising how the technology companies have increased the value of their brand throughout this year despite the fact that most of them are in annual losses on the stock market. "It is interesting how, despite the stock market fluctuations of the last year, the total value of the table has increased by 16% compared to 2021 -a true record-. This is explained because brand value is a measure of value creation in the long term and, therefore, it does not move based on the short-term fluctuations of the stock market", explains Nancy Villanueva CEO of Interbrand for Iberia and the Middle East.
Inequalities have also reached brands, because the richest increase their value more and more. Thus, the total value of the Top 10 (1.6 billion dollars) is greater than the total value of the rest of the table (90 brands: 1.4 billion dollars).
We must also highlight the remarkable growth of Microsoft, which this year, after rising 32%, has surpassed Amazon. Also notable is the increase in Tesla, the firm of Elon Musk. Outside of technology, the brands that rose the most in price belong to the luxury sector, such as Chanel, Hermes or Dior, with increases of more than 27%.
“As we navigate a new period of economic uncertainty, the most successful brands will continue to forge strong connections with their consumers. A static business and brand offering are no longer enough.
It seems clear, in this sense, that this boom in intangible assets, and in particular in the technology sector, is due to a change in model. "Traditionally, companies built a brand around a product or service that addressed a singular, specific customer need. They leveraged product and brand strengths to drive growth and become category leaders, such as , Coca-Cola, Gillette or Colgate. This approach is now changing," explains Villanueva.
"Today, these brands don't start with the product, but with the brand, which is the vehicle through which the business can address a range of different consumer needs through an ecosystem of differentiated products and services. They harness the usefulness of your brand to drive exponential growth," he adds.
Among those that come out of the top 100, Zoom stands out, which experienced its moment of glory with the pandemic, and Uber, on which its legal problems weigh. Instead, Airbnb, which staged a successful IPO, and Red Bull, whose marketing actions are increasingly extending to more areas outside of beverages, such as sports, enter for the first time.
As a curiosity, Instagram (16th) surpasses Facebook (17th) and becomes the most valuable brand in Meta. Mark Zuckerberg's firm, which this year has lost more than 60% of its stock market value, is in the process of redefining its strategy.
Zara and Santander continue to be the two Spanish brands present in Best Global Brands 2022. Zara (47th) is the most valuable in its category, surpassing H
Interbrand's calculation methodology has been refined over the years. They value brands that establish a clear purpose, move quickly when launching new products and are able to captivate their community of consumers. This year, sustainability criteria (ESG) have been added.
