What are the most valuable global brands in 2022?

Apple regains its status as the world’s most valuable brand in the 2022 Kantar BrandZ global ranking.
15 June 2022
What are the most valuable global brands in 2022
Martin Guerrieria
Martin
Guerrieria

Head of Kantar BrandZ

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Apple sits on top of the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands 2022 ranking and is on track to become the first trillion-dollar brand. With a brand value of $947.1bn, Apple stands out for its high degree of differentiation and continued diversification across its hardware, software and services portfolio. Google moves up to second place and is one of the fastest risers in the ranking, increasing its brand value by 79% to $819.6bn. Google’s suite of work and productivity apps have made it an essential part of consumers’ lives worldwide.

The combined value of the world’s Top 100 most valuable brands has increased by 23% to $8.7 trillion over the past year, highlighting the importance of brand strength in navigating an unsettled global economy.

Thirty-seven brands improved their ranking this year. In 2022, over three quarters of brand value originated from US companies. Media & Entertainment, Business Solutions & Technology Providers and Retail categories account for over half of the total value of the Top 100 ranking.

Kantar BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands 2022

Rank 2022

Brand

Country of Origin

Brand Value 2022 ($M)

% Brand Value Change 2022 vs 2021

1

Apple

US

947,062

55%

2

Google

US

819,573

79%

3

Amazon

US

705,646

3%

4

Microsoft

US

611,460

49%

5

Tencent

China

214,023

-11%

6

McDonald's

US

196,526

27%

7

Visa

US

191,032

0%

8

Facebook

US

186,421

-18%

9

Alibaba

China

169,966

-14%

10

Louis Vuitton

France

124,273

64%

Key trends highlighted in Kantar BrandZ’s global study include:

  • Microsoft, Zara and IBM lead the way in the new Kantar Sustainability BrandZ Index, which shows sustainability already accounts for 3% of brand equity and is expected to rise.
  • Tesla is one of this year’s biggest success stories shifting to No.29 from No.47 mirroring the world-wide sales trend of electric vehicles more than doubling in 2021.
  • Louis Vuitton (No.10; $124.3bn) is the first luxury brand to reach the global Top 10 reflecting the growth of the luxury market worldwide and in China in particular. Louis Vuitton experienced 64% growth in brand value this year and is the first European brand to reach the global Top 10 since 2010.
  • Newcomers in 2022’s ranking emerge from a range of categories. Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies debuted highest at No.16. India’s IT services and consultancy Infosys arrived at No.64. Latin America’s largest online commerce and payments ecosystem, Mercado Libre entered at No.71.
  • Chinese brands hold strong, despite facing unique pandemic challenges, placing twice in the global Top 10 with Tencent at No.5 and Alibaba at No.9. China is also the only market rivalling the USA’s dominance in the Media & Entertainment category with WeChat at No.5 and TikTok at No.9.

Sector leaders come from a mix of industry sectors

Technology and Luxury brands grew the fastest; 46% for Consumer Technology and 45% for Luxury. Bank and Automotive brands also demonstrated impressive growth; Automotive up 34% and Banks up more than 30%. This compares to growth across sectors such as Apparel (20%) and Personal Care (17%). At a category level, Wells Fargo was the only new No.1 brand, moving from second to first place in the Banking category and replacing China’s ICBC.

Category Leaders: Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands 2022

Rank 2022

Category

Brand

Country of Origin

Brand Value 2022 ($M)

Brand Value Change

1

Alcohol

Moutai

China

103,380

-5%

1

Apparel

Nike

US

109,601

31%

1

Banks

Wells Fargo

US

43,052

54%

1

Business Solutions and Technology Providers

Microsoft

US

611,460

49%

1

Cars

Tesla

US

75,933

78%

1

Consumer Technology

Apple

US

947,062

55%

1

Fast Food

McDonald's

US

196,526

27%

1

Food and Beverages

Coca-Cola

US

89,985

12%

1

Luxury

Louis Vuitton

France

124,273

64%

1

Media and Entertainment

Google

US

766,779

N/A

1

Personal Care

L'Oréal Paris

France

47,480

24%

1

Retail

Amazon

US

281,695

N/A

1

Telecom Providers

Verizon

US

101,962

N/A

*In Retail, the value of Amazon includes its retail businesses only. In Media & Entertainment, Google includes Google branded services and products, excluding Google Cloud.

Focus on brand-building, product and market diversification maximises business returns:

The pandemic has further accelerated growth of e-commerce in the retail category, hence brands with stronger connections to consumers have been able to sustain their growth online and beyond. Portfolio brands that have continued to innovate and diversify their offer have continued to grow, especially evident with Apple, Google and Amazon, amongst others, as their services cross technology, entertainment and payment services. Brands reliant on one category or market have the greatest risk profile, whereas brands that have diversified into multiple categories and markets showed faster brand value growth in 2022 and have a better chance of above-average growth. To navigate a disruptive market, brands must lock down trust as a means of driving stability and safety. More than in the past, brands today must build trust on the basis of societal performance, not just product performance. Sometimes, this means a social purpose that is integrated into the entire organisation. Nike is a good example with its ongoing commitment to inspire and innovate for everyone, not just high-performance athletes, particularly girls and minority communities.

Brands are typically the biggest assets businesses have, adding massive value to the balance sheet. In uncertain times, management decisions on marketing investment can be supported by proven metrics. Kantar BrandZ’s brand valuations clearly show how great marketing connects to brand value in both the short and long-term.

Find more analysis across 13 categories in the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands report.

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