Apple remains No. 1 brand; Airbnb is this year's top-rising brand: Interbrand

Interbrand has launched its Best Global Brands 2023  ranking, revealing many of the world’s top 100 brands are in a state of stagnation. The rate of growth in the overall brand value of the table slowed sharply after last year's significant increase - rising 5.7% this year compared to last year’s 16% increase, taking the total brand value to $3.3 trillion ($3.1 trillion in 2022).

Interbrand cites lack of growth mindset, weaker brand leadership and poor forecasting as  behind the slowdown. This follows a longer-term trend in which brands operating exclusively in one sector taking an incremental approach have experienced slower brand value growth.

Airbnb is this year’s top-rising brand with its value increasing +21.8%. It also jumped eight places in the table (from #54 to #46) despite only entering the ranking last year. The brand’s significant increase in value is partly due to its strong investment in brand and solid financial outlook - revenue was up 40% in 2022 vs 2021 and is expected to rise an additional 13% in  2023 vs 2022.

Gonzalo Brujó, Global CEO, Interbrand, said, “After a few years of strong brand growth,  we have entered a period of stagnation, with this year’s table showing moderate growth in overall brand value among the world’s biggest brands. Businesses which have witnessed a rise in brand value, including Airbnb (#46), LEGO (#59)  and Nike (#9) have all transcended their established category norms and play a more  significant and meaningful role in society and consumer’s lives.”

Brujó added, “As we continue to navigate economic and environmental headwinds, there is a need for improved business cases and better brand management to drive future investment and sustain growth within traditional sectors and beyond. Those who can successfully leverage  their brand into new consumer pools of potential will reap the rewards of strong brand  growth.”

More than two decades of analysis show companies that address a more diverse set of customer needs, often across sectors, continue to dominate the top of the table - making up almost 50% of the total value. Based on the data, these companies operating across several different verticals are more stable, achieve higher top-line growth, remain more profitable,  and benefit from a greater growth of brand value⁴. For these companies, a focus on brand rather than product plays a greater role in driving choice (+12% vs average), meaning they  can address more customer needs, within and across categories. 

Ashish Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, Interbrand India & South Asia said, “This year’s BGB report highlights the disproportionate rate of growth for brands that move beyond their narrow categories to operate across multiple ‘Arenas’ – a term coined by Interbrand to describe the shift by brands from the constraints of conventional categories to a focus on catering to core human needs. By shifting focus from category norms to customer truths, Arena Thinking supercharges the growth of the world's most influential brands.  

The world’s most valuable brand of the decade - Apple exemplifies this best. It originally played in the Connect Arena with iPhone but delved seamlessly into Thrive through the Watch and has had tremendous response with its play in the Fund Arena recently. Closer to home, some of the biggest value-creating brands of the decade have also transcended the conventional categories and have begun to operate in broader Arenas. Jio, JSW, Asian Paints and Adani are worthy examples of it”

This year’s BGB report highlights the disproportionate rate of growth for brands that move beyond their narrow categories to operate across multiple ‘Arenas’ – a term coined by  Interbrand to describe the shift by brands from the constraints of conventional categories to a focus on catering to core human needs.

By shifting focus from category norms to customer truths, arena thinking supercharges the growth of the world's most influential brands.

Kathleen Hall, Chief Brand Officer, Microsoft, said, “We are honoured to be recognised for continued strong growth in the Best Global Brands ranking this year. The combination of brand perception and financial performance is a great indicator of brand health and relevance and one we value tremendously. With our acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our  prominent leadership position in AI, and our continued commitment to make a positive  impact on society, we aspire to be a brand people can trust and build a responsible future  with.”

Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nestlé Nespresso SA, said, “Since the beginning, sustainability has been at the heart of the Nespresso brand and we have worked hard to show coffee can be a force for good. This is a very proud moment to see Nespresso recognized in  Interbrand's Best Global Brands ranking for the first time. And we're not stopping there. We  believe that the most powerful force behind our brand is our commitment to sustainability,  which enables us to consistently offer the unforgettable taste and truly elevated coffee  experience that consumers expect from Nespresso worldwide.”

Other key findings:

Automotive and luxury witness strongest growth

Automotive brand value rose by 9% in 2023, with BMW (#10) entering the top ten for the first time (#10). Porsche (#47), Hyundai (#32) and Ferrari (#70) all achieved a double-digit rate of growth and accounted for three of the top five fastest-growing brands. 

Tesla held its position in the table this year (#12), but its rate of growth was the slowest  among the automotive brands with its brand value increasing 4.0% compared to BMW and  Mercedes which grew 10.4% and 9.5% respectively.

“Automotive brand top risers have increased scores across Affinity, Trust, Presence and  Participation – key drivers of brand value – ultimately increasing their connection with  customers,” says Greg Silverman, Global Director of Brand Economics at Interbrand.

Luxury is once again a top-performing sector with its brand value rising by 6.5% this year.  This is due to luxury brands’ resilience and ability to transcend categories to create luxury experiences such as restaurants, hotels and retail pop-ups. 

Hermès (#23) and Dior (#76) are two of the biggest luxury brand risers, with 10.2% and  8.4% growth in brand value respectively this year. They are joining the likes of Prada, Tiffany and Burberry in moving beyond traditional markets and extending their brand presence with new partnerships, product launches and consumer experiences in the metaverse – creating new meaning with new customers. 

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