Google and Apple most valuable global brands

Technology brands continue to dominate the rankings of the world's most valuable brands, with Google and Apple taking the lead, new data has shown. 
Online retail giant, Amazon, took third place on the '2018 BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands' ranking released by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown. Eight out of the top 10 are technology or tech-related brands. This category continues to dominate the rankings with Google and Apple retaining the number 1 and 2 spots, growing 23 per cent to $302.1billion and 28 per cent to $300.6 billion respectively. Amazon moved ahead of Microsoft, growing 49 per cent to $207.6billion, while Tencent rose to number five ahead of Facebook, growing 65 per cent in brand value to $179billion, up three places from last year's ranking.
"Brands that are winning in the intelligence-led marketing era include businesses such as Amazon and Tencent who put the consumer at the heart of everything they do. These brands use technology to understand the needs of their consumers and apply these learnings to create an ecosystem of services that fulfil multiple needs, enabling a seamless consumer experience between platforms," said Doreen Wang, Kantar Millward Brown's global head of BrandZ.
The increasing use of data-driven, intelligence-led technologies  - such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) - alongside creative marketing approaches has allowed many brands to build a more in-depth understanding of their customers and deliver convenience, personalised content and exceptional brand experiences.
Despite economic and political uncertainty in many regions of the world, this year's ranking shows its largest-ever annual increase in value - almost $750 billion. This gave the BrandZ Global Top 100 an overall total brand value of $4.4 trillion; up 204 per cent over 12 years since it was first published in 2006. This is also the first year that all categories in the BrandZ Top 100 reported growth.
This was also the first year that non-US brands grew faster than US brands. Fourteen Chinese brands appear in the Top 100 ranking compared to just one in 2006. The total value of China's Top 10 grew year-on-year by 47 per cent, more than double that of the US brands at 23 per cent. - rohma@khaleejtimes.com