Iconic

Moves
Transforming
customer
expectations
 TWENTY YEARS OF
BRAND VALUATION
DATA HAS MANY
STORIES TO TELL.

2 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 3

 at $2.1T— representing a 4.4% average (to understand customer trajectories),
CAGR and more than 2.1x increase in total Brand Economics (to identify the business
value. These figures behind Best Global opportunity), and Brand Experience
Brands tell a clear story: in such a fluid (to make real change within a business),
market landscape, investing in brand is key brands can spark customer desire and
to long-term success. drive extraordinary results. We call this The fastest growing
approach Interbrand Thinking — an brands are making
Today, there is no question as to whether interdisciplinary approach that addresses what we call Iconic
brands have intrinsic value or not. Millennials business challenges through the lens Moves — the big
WELCOME TO INTERBRAND

and Gen Z continue to push companies of brand. bets that transform

to redefine what effective brand-building the way customers
means — and increasingly, what it means At this point of inflection, we look backward interact with
to be a truly valuable brand in their eyes. to look forward. Twenty years of data and brands.
With ever-savvier consumer bases, brands insights have provided us with a lens with

T
are expected to act in line with their which we can help deliver Iconic Moves for
BEST GLOBAL BRANDS

hirty years ago, we asked ourselves customers’ values. Consumers expect not brands across countries and continents.
about the nuanced relationship just engaging experiences, but bold actions Today, in the 20th year of Best Global Brands,
between brand and business that transform traditional categories and we’re excited to share our Iconic Moves
performance; ‘How much is a brand help make the world a better place. While thinking and invite you to join the discussion.
worth?’ and ‘How can we track it’s an exciting time to be a brand leader, Welcome to Best Global Brands 2019.
and improve its performance over time?’ a far more dynamic landscape means
Aiming to answer questions of this kind, brand-building is more difficult than ever.
we built the world’s first accredited brand
valuation methodology. What we are seeing in this evolving market
landscape, where customers’ expectations
In the past 30 years, we have conducted are moving faster than a company’s ability Charles Trevail
thousands of brand valuation exercises, to respond, is that incremental moves can Global Chief Executive Officer, Interbrand
underpinned by our proprietary Brand only keep you in the game for the short term.
Strength framework, to help businesses The fastest growing brands are making
create roadmaps to stronger brands what we call Iconic Moves — the big bets that
and customer experiences. In 2000 we transform the way customers interact with
published our first ranking of the most brands. When executed successfully, Iconic
valuable brands in the world, and this year Moves reframe customer expectations and
we are marking its 20th year. result in temporary market monopolies and
noteworthy brand and business successes.
Twenty years of brand valuation data has
many stories to tell. Only 31 brands As brands have evolved to meet customer
(e.g., Disney, Nike, and Gucci) from the expectations, so have we. Our valuation
2000 ranking remain on the table today; methodology remains foundational, but our
137 brands (Marlboro, Nokia, and MTV, to consultative approach has shifted from static
name a few) have come and gone in the frameworks to dynamic models. While
intervening years. Coca-Cola and Microsoft successful brands possess a set of common
are the only brands to have retained top attributes, brands’ positions are a moving
ten spots. In 2001 (the first year in which the target. We have therefore altered our way of
table included 100 brands), the cumulative working to see brands as they truly are — 
brand value residing in the world’s top 100 dynamic, flexible, multi-faceted assets. Using
brands was $988B. Today, that value stands our proprietary Human Truths methodology

Iconic Moves 5
 CUMULATIVE BRAND VALUE OF
THE 100 BEST GLOBAL BRANDS 2019
2,130,930 $m

2001*
988,287 $m

250,000 $m

Alcohol Energy Retail

125,000 $m Apparel Financial Services Pharmaceutical
Automotive FMCG Sporting Goods
Beverages Logistics Technology
50,000 $m Business Services Luxury Telecoms Services
Diversified Media Tobacco
20,000 $m
Electronics Restaurants Toys & Games

*In 2001 (the first year in which the table included 100 brands), the cumulative brand value residing in the world’s
top 100 brands was $988B. Today, that value stands at $2.1T—representing a 4.4% average CAGR and more than
2.1x increase in total value.

To make the data easily comparable and readable, logos are representative only. True representation of the logos
can be found on the Best Global Brands ranking table.

6 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 7

 THE SIMPLICITY, THE
STARK BEAUTY OF
JOHN KENNEDY’S
MANDATE… REALLY
INTRODUCING ICONIC MOVES

HELPED US ALONG
TO THE MOON.
THE END OF POSITIONING:

I
n recently celebrating the fiftieth That very combination of a fixed long-term
anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar ambition and flexible short-term action
landing, astronaut Michael Collins, part increasingly stands out as the common trait
of the mission alongside Neil Armstrong of those organizations that thrive in the
and ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, emphasized the most turbulent markets in history.
extent to which John F. Kennedy’s 1961
commitment — to put an American This dynamic is changing the very nature of
man on the moon within the decade —  brands, and the paradigm of how they are
had been a powerful driving force for the built and grown.
mission’s success.
It all starts with people.
The single-mindedness and clarity of
that statement, Collins recalled, worked
as a true north throughout the years
leading to the mission — helping overcome
obstacles, speeding up processes, and
providing everyone with a clear goal
and timeline. “We could quote him, get
things done, accelerate people,” he
noted. “The simplicity, the stark beauty of
John Kennedy’s mandate… really helped
us along to the moon.”

Half a century later, there is much to

learn from the way in which a single, sharp
statement of intent, coupled with an
extreme agility in action, made one of
mankind’s most staggering achievements
possible — under the immense pressure
of history’s highest-stakes technological
and geopolitical races.

8 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 9

 PEOPLE ARE MOVING FASTER technologies such as artificial intelligence
or facial recognition virtually effortless — 
THE ISSUES WITH All of this means that the age of brand
positioning — a static, category-based,
THAN BUSINESSES and immediate. POSITIONING abstract construct to be checked and
reviewed every so often — is drawing to
It is quite intuitive to observe the extent to For decades, the entire discipline of an end.

4
which, as customers, we are more informed, Shifting frames of reference branding has been founded on the dogma Don’t turn your
more connected, and more demanding than Finally, consumers’ frames of of positioning — as the term suggests, a Today’s fastest growing organisations no gaze towards R&D
ever before. It is less obvious to articulate reference are shifting — whereby static definition of a distinct space that a longer think in terms of brands as a static labs, but toward
precisely why and how. Four major forces the expectation of Uber’s brand could credibly occupy in a category construct, often disjoined from the business. people’ discussions,
are at play. immediacy, Spotify’s abundance, and (it’s somewhat interesting to notice how They move along an overall trajectory that searches, habits,
Netflix’s intimacy ripples across every aspect the terminology of branding has gravitated brings the business, the brand, and the and demands.
of life and line of business, raising the around static analogies, such as brand customer closer than they’ve ever been.

1
Abundance of choice threshold of what’s good enough. Apple’s architecture, values you stand for, and
The range of options — both in launch of a credit card in conjunction branded houses).
B2B and B2C environments —  with Goldman Sachs is a bet on importing
is constantly widening, and more in financial services levels of desirability The truth is that the very idea of positioning is
often than not, those choices are literally at and utility that are now the standard in at odds with today’s reality, for three reasons.
our fingertips. Inasmuch as we may trust other categories.
or even love a brand, exploring and trying First and foremost, within accelerating
new options has never been cheaper, markets where customer expectations are
quicker, and, often, engaging. Tried to pick When these four forces combine with perpetually moving ahead of businesses,
a pair of sneakers recently? hypercompetitive markets driven by any positioning as such is destined to
the increased availability of capital and become obsolete and lose relevance before
competencies, the result is an entirely it is able to make any difference in the

2
Erosion of loyalty new environment — one in which people’s customer experience.
Abundance doesn’t only make it expectations are moving faster than the
harder for brands to be chosen. fastest businesses. Secondly, businesses will no longer be
It also erodes loyalty and defined by categories, but by customer
changes its dynamics. Once the result of To get a sense what the next big thing is needs. Needs stay and evolve, categories
meeting expectations, today loyalty is the going to be, don’t turn your gaze toward not necessarily; it is safe to assume
consequence of being able to constantly shift R&D labs, but toward people’s discussions, that the need to move financial resources
them. The clash of the titans in the online searches, habits, and demands. will outlive banks. The future of competition
entertainment space is a powerful example will take place in fluid, open arenas such
of how loyalty is built through the constant Increasingly, brands are built around some as movement, connection, entertainment,
promise and delivery of new and next. form of community — not vice versa. The populated by players with diverse business
next diet, the next gym activity, the new models. Brands will replace sectors.
coffee variation, and the next must-be part

3
Speed of adoption of town are out there already. They’re Finally, brands can no longer be considered
Suggesting that the pace of merely in disguise, shaped as needs and as separate from the business; the two have
innovation is accelerating is desires — and even the fastest businesses never been so inextricable. Transparency
stating the obvious. What’s more are only starting to work them out. and reduced information asymmetry mean
intriguing, though, is the exponential increase that, increasingly, your brand is about what
in its speed of adoption. Ecosystems you do and are, not just what you say;
propagate new products, services, and and your business is about trust, not just
technologies to millions of customers at delivery. Are the troubled times of Facebook
speeds never seen before. The likes of Apple a matter of brand, business, or leadership?
and Google have made the mass adoption of

10 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 11

 #3
DEFINING TRAJECTORIES Conversely, take Uber, a case where the
understanding of the shifting customer’s $m
A trajectory is not merely a new, exotic mindset and the solidity of the business
choice of terminology. It is a clear-cut model going forward are (still?) failing
definition of the organization’s direction, to align to the immediacy and utility of the
combining three components. experience.
+24% 125,263 $m
120,000
Our 2018 global survey of business and Or think of Tesla, previously one of the
brand leaders showed their future bets 100 most valuable brands. The Human Truth
to be based on three prevailing questions: at the heart of the brand has anticipated the
spirit of the times, and its Experience has
1 3
- what needs and desires will we address; successfully challenged the standards of the Iconic move 2005 Iconic move 2014
- through what experiences; traditional automotive interactions. However, Launch of Amazon Announcement of Echo
- with what business model and returns. the Economics remain as of yet unaligned. Prime, a subscription (Alexa), kick-starting
for faster delivery, the virtual assistant
These questions encompass the worlds of Setting a clear trajectory — what human continuously expanded market
(1) customers, (2) businesses, and (3) their truth to serve, through what interactions, and
interactions, and go right to the heart of what sustained through what business model —  90,000
an organization needs to establish in order
to chart its course in turbulent markets.
is merely the beginning of the journey.
2 4 4
Think of this as a GPS navigation. Given Iconic move 2007 Iconic move 2017
Today, the world’s best brands are not a set destination and a departure point, Kindle launch, Amazon acquires
positioned; they evolve together with an ongoing reading of external conditions will cannibalizing own Whole Foods and
the business along trajectories that align require a constant real-time recalculation book sales but bundles it with
perfectly the Human Truths they serve, of the route. Businesses need to be similarly keeping growth in Prime, in a move
the Experiences they provide, and the nimble and agile — keeping in touch and in the company to brick-and-mortar
Economics that sustain them. tune with customers, continuously refocusing
their efforts, and shifting their resources,
Gucci, a top riser over the past few years, and making those moves that enable them 60,000
has achieved extraordinary growth by doing to navigate ambiguity and progress along
precisely this. This isn’t just the result of its their trajectories.
understanding of the millennial and Gen Z
mindset, its smart use of social media, and But what type of moves, exactly? 3
its superlative merchandising strategy. It is
the way in which these three aspects — the
customer, the experience, and the business 
— are perfectly aligned in a single trajectory.

30,000

1 2

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

12 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 13

 WHILE KAIZEN-LIKE THE EFFECTS OF ICONIC pressure, the brand owns the desire-driven,

INCREMENTAL
high-end segment of the consumer
MOVES electronics business. Iconic Moves tend to

CHANGE IS STILL
increase a brand’s impact on choice, creating
Iconic Moves spark some combination differentiation and reducing price elasticity.

FUNDAMENTAL, IT IS
of three effects. Iconic Moves
As a result of these effects, Iconic Moves are by their very
NO LONGER ENOUGH. ICONIC MOVES SHIFT CUSTOMER
EXPECTATIONS
generate extraordinary business results. nature rare,
each being a one
They don’t just meet them; they create a Tempting as it is to create a science around of a kind action,
new normal. Coupled with the production Iconic Moves, they are by their very nature arising from
of exclusive content, Netflix’s decision to rare, each being a one-of-a-kind action, unique conditions,
release instantly all episodes in a series arising from unique conditions, decisions, decisions and
created binge watching as an experience and timing. timing.
phenomenon, and reshaped expectations
INTRODUCING ICONIC MOVES moves: actions that ripple across markets.
And they are iconic, in that they do so by
and behaviors around the consumption
of entertainment, setting a de facto new
There is no formula or algorithm — and this,
we find, makes them more, rather than less,
swaying perceptions, choice, and behaviors. standard. fascinating; Iconic Moves are transformative
The past decades have seen the vast acts of leadership that make history sooner
majority of organizations focus predominantly Increasingly, great brands are stories — and ICONIC MOVES FORCE AN INTERNAL than they generate statistics.
on an ongoing improvement of their promise, Iconic Moves their chapters. COMMITMENT TO CHANGE
processes, and delivery. While kaizen-like In a way that is similar to game theory’s There are, however, compelling patterns.
incremental change is still fundamental, it is strategic moves, they are not simply Out of our top 100, a sample of brands
no longer enough. announcements, but credible commitments that have made one or more Iconic Moves
that require a follow-through. Amazon’s consistently outperforms the study’s overall
In a world where people’s expectations will launch of Prime and Prime Now didn’t just average in terms of Brand Value CAGR.
continue to move faster than businesses, revolutionize fulfilment expectations (and
customers will increasingly reward those bold use of data); it created the need to develop Just as interestingly, this sample deviates
moves that challenge those expectations. internally what is arguably the most efficient positively on every factor of our Brand
supply chain in the world. Strength Score, with peaks in Engagement,
Incremental change will keep brands in the Relevance, and Responsiveness.
game — but it will take well-timed, brave ICONIC MOVES CREATE A TEMPORARY A compelling quantitative reflection of Iconic
moves to make brands leap ahead of MONOPOLY Moves capturing people’s imagination
customers’ expectations, ultimately driving They set brands apart for at least a to stay ahead of customers’ needs, driving
extraordinary business results. period of time, making them the inevitable sustained economic value.
choice. Depending on their impact and
Some of these bold moves anticipate the competitive barriers they create, this
the spirit of the times, turn heads, and temporary monopoly may be momentary — 
dramatically increase a brand’s desirability or endure. The launch of Apple Stores at a
and utility. They bring the promise to life, time when the consumer electronic category
and have the power to reshape categories, was pulling back investments in brick-and-
delivering explosive business growth. mortar is to be credited not just for
surpassing the billion dollar mark in yearly
We have chosen to call them Iconic Moves, sales in only three years — but for much of
because they alter the competitive landscape the brand’s desirability and at least a decade
by capturing people’s imagination. They are of cult-like following (and, hence, profit).
To this day, and despite highly competitive

14 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 15

 MAKING ICONIC MOVES: Operations: for instance, is innovation
increasingly R&D-led rather than customer-
And further back in time, Burberry’s then
ground-breaking streaming of its fashion show
Thus, Iconic Moves don’t just require
focused preparation — but, just as importantly,
FIVE STEPS led? Are the business and the category losing turned the heads of millennials around the a long tail of deployment and change,
customer data to other players? globe, powering years of sustained growth. often reaching into the very way a business

1
operates. Each of the above examples is
Cultivate continuous change Competition: for example, is loyalty declining Conversely, the challenge for Adobe will be as much about a perfectly timed alignment
Iconic Moves never happen in in the category with customers? Are new to keep its relationship with its customer base between customer, experience, and
isolation; they are accelerations players starting to penetrate the market with aligned to an otherwise powerful subscription business as much as it is about relentless,
within a process of continuous new business models? business model. uncompromising follow-through.
improvement — and this requires brands
to be constantly in touch and in tune with Performance: are margins being eroded?
their customers, transforming data and Is the role of brand in choice relatively low,

4
observation into insight — and offering new, with no outliers? Is innovation becoming Broaden the options
better, and different on a near daily basis. incremental, and driving diminishing returns? In hindsight, Iconic Moves seem
simply inevitable. But as they occur,
The great ecosystem brands that lead our Based on these reflections, we expect to they always impress, often surprise,
ranking have revolutionized the relationship see Iconic Moves reshaping in the short- sometimes unsettle.
between customers and businesses, term categories such as banking, insurance,
substituting the traditional feedback loop real estate, and air travel. Those moves will As such, their center of gravity may be in
with continuous adaptability. define the future shape and shapers of those very different areas of the business and take
categories. profoundly different shapes — from category
And so have, interestingly, the fastest-growing (e.g., BMW creating the henceforth highly
luxury brands, albeit in a completely different profitable small premium car category
way: by anticipating the formation of new through the reinvention of MINI) to channel

3
cultural patterns, sensing the shifts in values, Seek alignment (e.g., Sephora changing the distribution in the
and finding their role in it. Iconic Moves are not self-serving beauty market), from customer relationships
stunts, but powerful means to (Dollar Shave Club introducing a subscription
an end — conceived and designed model) to partnerships or M&As (Amazon
to accelerate the business’s progression along acquiring Whole Foods).

2
Sense the weak signals its desired trajectory, seeking an alignment
Iconic Moves are, by definition, (or realignment) between customers, the Iconic Moves differ from disruption in many
rare. They happen at precisely the business, and their interactions. respects — at heart, they are not epoch-
right time, capturing the zeitgeist defining innovation breakthroughs of creative
and creating a before and an after. And it does start with customers. destruction. They do not rely on product
innovation; they are strategic actions that
There are a number of conditions that signal Nike’s Kaepernick campaign combined a change the way people view and interact with
that your business and your arena might be deep understanding of the brand’s US and businesses and categories by capturing their
ripe for an Iconic Move. Recognizing these non-US target audiences — demographics imagination — and, often, creating a following.
signals in due course is critical to owning the and orientation — a strong underlying business
future. They broadly fall into four categories. case and a well-orchestrated content and
product drop.

5
Customers: for instance, is there a widespread Follow-through
frustration in the experience? Are customers Lego’s first movie, grossing nearly $500 Finally, an Iconic Move is not
using outdated technology? Are rising million, focused on reaching a new generation merely a campaign or promise — 
concerns, such as environmental protection, of ‘builders,’ leading into a long tail content it is a market action that implies
absent from the offering? and product innovation, with a considerable a credible commitment from the business
revenue and profit uplift; in the year after its and makes it vulnerable in the absence
release, Lego reported a sales uplift of 25%. of follow-through.

16 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 17

 CONCLUSION: A NEW AGE
OF LEADERSHIP
Since the launch of our first study
twenty years ago, the aggregate value
of the 100 most valuable global brands
has doubled, reaching beyond $2.1 trillion.

WITH THE END

Brands are more important than they
have ever been. However, their traditional

OF POSITIONING, paradigm is reaching its exhaustion.

OUR ROLE AT With the end of positioning, our role at

Interbrand will be less about helping define
INTERBRAND WILL what a business stands for, and more
about determining where it should go
BE LESS ABOUT next — and making those Iconic Moves

HELPING DEFINE
to get there quickly.

WHAT A BUSINESS The organizations that will thrive will be the

ones on a journey together with customers
STANDS FOR, AND and talent alike, leading with empathy and
courage to define the human truths worth
MORE ABOUT serving, and the experiences and economics
through which to serve them.
DETERMINING
WHERE IT SHOULD
It will take a combination of long-term clarity
and short-term agility. That same balance

GO NEXT. that half a century ago accomplished the

greatest Iconic Move of all time:

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade

and do the other things, not because they are
easy, but because they are hard; because that

TOP 100
goal will serve to organize and measure the
best of our energies and skills, because that
challenge is one that we are willing to accept,
one we are unwilling to postpone, and one
we intend to win, and the others, too.”

John F. Kennedy, 1961

18 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 19

01 02 03 04 05 26 27 28 29 30 51 52 53 54 55 76 77 78 79 80

+9% +8% +24% +17% -4% +5% +7% +9% -3% -3% +4% -6% -4% +4% +19% +19% +12% -7% +15% +13%
234,241 $m 167,713 $m 125,263 $m 108,847 $m 63,365 $m 18,407 $m 18,072 $m 17,920 $m 17,175 $m 16,345 $m 11,589 $m 11,502 $m 11,352 $m 10,891 $m 10,756 $m 6,791 $m 6,458 $m 6,428 $m 6,369 $m 6,347 $m

06 07 08 09 10 31 32 33 34 35 56 57 58 59 60 81 82 83 84 85

+2% +5% +5% +4% +11% +14% +3% +23% -5% +2% +13% -2% +1% +4% +7% -2% +16% +2% +9% -6%
61,098 $m 56,246 $m 50,832 $m 45,362 $m 44,352 $m 16,205 $m 16,018 $m 15,949 $m 15,773 $m 14,325 $m 10,514 $m 10,419 $m 10,259 $m 9,915 $m 9,534 $m 6,189 $m 6,045 $m 5,987 $m 5,883 $m 5,855 $m

11 12 13 14 15 36 37 38 39 40 61 62 63 64 65 86 87 88 89 90

+1% -6% -7% -12% +3% +5% -18% +4% +20% +6% -9% +25% New -1% +10% -8% New +4% +18% +5%
41,440 $m 40,381 $m 40,197 $m 39,857 $m 35,559 $m 14,156 $m 13,753 $m 13,605 $m 12,937 $m 12,921 $m 9,482 $m 9,430 $m 9,086 $m 9,035 $m 8,963 $m 5,720 $m 5,714 $m 5,626 $m 5,550 $m 5,532 $m

16 17 18 19 20 41 42 43 44 45 66 67 68 69 70 91 92 93 94 95

+7% +14% +1% -22% +10% +10% +4% +12% -8% +11% +2% +13% +7% -7% +24% -4% +7% +1% -5% +12%
32,376 $m 32,223 $m 26,288 $m 25,566 $m 25,092 $m 12,697 $m 12,689 $m 12,078 $m 12,010 $m 11,992 $m 8,824 $m 8,521 $m 8,192 $m 8,185 $m 8,004 $m 5,525 $m 5,516 $m 5,509 $m 5,335 $m 5,297 $m

21 22 23 24 25 46 47 48 49 50 71 72 73 74 75 96 97 98 99 100

+3% +11% +13% -1% +8% +6% +5% +23% -4% +9% -3% +15% +2% -9% +5% +4% -3% New -7% -1%
24,422 $m 22,134 $m 21,629 $m 20,488 $m 19,044 $m 11,830 $m 11,816 $m 11,798 $m 11,661 $m 11,652 $m 7,909 $m 7,604 $m 6,998 $m 6,887 $m 6,884 $m 5,205 $m 5,105 $m 4,836 $m 4,793 $m 4,781 $m

The Interbrand Best Global Brands is provided by Interbrand for informational purposes only, and is based on methodology that
includes subjective components. It should not be construed as a recommendation or advice. You can view the full Terms and Conditions
of accessing the Interbrand Best Global Brands rankings at www.interbrand.com/best-global-brands-terms-and-conditions/
 TOP GROWING 62 70

BRANDS +25%
9,430 $m
+24%
8,004 $m

03 33
Ranging from financial services and tech, Their determination to identify the
to automotive and alcohol, the Top Growing emerging needs of their customers
Brands are a diverse subset of the global ensured unparalleled growth and customer
economy that generates tremendous value satisfaction, leading to impressive financial
not only through a strong product offering, results. These brands represent insightful
but also a deep commitment to brand. These windows into what companies can do +24% +23%
companies have continually built equity into to leverage their brands to build their 125,263 $m 15,949 $m
their brands, treating them as assets worthy businesses, using them to shape culture, 48 39
of investment. With a history of making experiences, products, and services.
Iconic Moves, these brands continue to reap
the rewards of their category re-defining
actions, which have transformed customer
expectations.
+23% +20%
This year’s top growing brands underwent 11,798 $m 12,937 $m
a significant bump in brand value, each
55 76
generating at least 18% year over year
growth. Each brand, of course, has its
own unique and exciting story to tell, one
that points to the exciting new ways in
which these businesses are realizing their
brand potential. Across the Brand Strength
+19% +19%
dimensions, these brands have significantly 10,756 $m 6,791 $m
outperformed their competitive set, scoring
89 04
on average 8% higher than other brands.
One dimension this year’s group of fastest
movers excels in is relevance, a testament to
their ability to stay at the forefront of rapidly
changing customer expectations within their
respective industries.
+18% +17%
5,550 $m 108,847 $m

20 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 21

 NEW
ENTRANTS
63
Even as brands across our ranking Microsoft), makes its Best Global Brands
experienced tremendous growth in value debut this year. Thanks to its meteoric
this year, a few new and tenacious rise to be one of the world’s most actively
brands fought their way on — and back —  used social media platforms, it’s no
to the table. With the 100th brand on the wonder that LinkedIn is one of the premier
table being valued at $4.7 billion it is no instruments in a professional’s toolbox.
insignificant achievement to make it on to By addressing a relevant niche with a clearly 9,086 $m
the list. An astounding 26 brands saw double defined mission, and a strong rebrand 87
digit brand value growth this year, and yet that focuses on inclusivity and diversity,
that did little to stop these three new brands we are delighted to see LinkedIn as a new
in the technology, media, and electronics entrant to Best Global Brands.
sectors from becoming New Entrants
on the 2019 Best Global Brands ranking. Uber, after its recent and highly anticipated
IPO, also joins the ranks of the world’s
Making its way back to the table is Dell, after most valuable global brands. With a clear 5,714 $m
relaunching on the stock market following a company vision and revitalized brand
98
period of transformation under private promise and identity, Uber continues to be
ownership. With a unique story that speaks a dominant force in its category, having
to their determination to refocus and refine pioneered the creation of the ride-sharing
its brand proposition and financial footing, sector and continuing to innovate its
Dell has jumped all the way back up to brand in the gig economy. Coalescing and
63rd in the ranking. In the five-year gap of oscillating between logistics, technology,
Dell being a Best Global Brand, the company and transportation, Uber has expanded into 4,836 $m
has doubled down on its core competencies a myriad of businesses including food
and come out on the other end with strong delivery, trucking, autonomous cars,
quarterly performance, with revenue growth helicopters and freighting. And with its recent
being marked at 15% in Q4 of 2018. ventures into the East, the forecast is looking
bright for this future-looking brand.
LinkedIn, making its way onto the table after
only one year of becoming eligible (with a
financial statement separate from its parent

22 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 23

SECTOR REPORTS:
THE FUTURE OF CATEGORIES
 PLAY: BEYOND MEDIA It’s all very well offering an almost limitless
amount of choice, but how do you point
The media sector is one of the most fluid —  consumers to things that they actually
so many brands have a presence in what want rather than leaving them deep in
could loosely be called media, and so many a frustrating cascade of irrelevant content?
business models involve some element As technology’s
of media, that the category stretches Anybody who can solve that problem will influence sets and
from social networks to search, technology be able to build a huge advantage. We Lean resets customer
to sport, many kinds of commerce, to Back and explore this space. expectations,
communications infrastructure... it’s almost the financial
easier to pick out the very few brands that services sector
have nothing to do with media. INTEREST: BEYOND becomes ever more
vulnerable to the
For instance, the biggest names of all —  FINANCIAL SERVICES looming threat of
our top three brands, Apple, Google, and The finance sector has a reputation for disruption.
Amazon at #1, #2, and #3 — all generate being traditional; a long way from the global
revenue from media, though they’re ambitions of Silicon Valley and big tech’s
nominally technology companies. Facebook, move-fast-and-break-things attitude. But
likewise, at #14, firmly insists that it’s as technology’s influence sets and resets
a tech brand. However, if TV channels customer expectations, the financial services
which showed programs made by outside sector becomes ever more vulnerable to

IT’S ALL VERY WELL production companies were media brands, the looming threat of disruption.
and if newspapers with readers’ letters

OFFERING AN ALMOST
were media brands, it would be tricky to It may be big and it’s steady but that’s
argue that point. what people said about transport before
Uber, and retail before Amazon. Best Global
LIMITLESS AMOUNT OF Nonetheless, even the core brands which
fall into the media category are disparate.
Brands 2019 lists 12 financial services
brands in the top 100. The sector is second
CHOICE, BUT HOW DO Disney (#10) is one of the world’s most
recognizable brands and one with a
only to automotive, with 15 brands in total,
and represents $145 billion in brand value.
YOU POINT CONSUMERS strong retail component. Netflix, at #65,
has revolutionized the video consumption Mastercard has risen fastest of all this year.
TO THINGS THAT THEY model but is itself at risk of being disrupted
(or acquired) by deeper-pocketed tech
Its ascent has been fuelled in part by its
transition from finance provider to technology

ACTUALLY WANT RATHER corporations. At least Discovery, at #91,

is the only ‘traditional’ TV network left on
firm, which should give many of the other
brands in this arena pause for thought.

THAN LEAVING THEM the grid.

But don’t be fooled by that one shining

DEEP IN A FRUSTRATING One thing there is no shortage of in this

sector is content; streaming services offer
star — Mastercard has very much bucked
the wider sector trend, which is one of

CASCADE OF IRRELEVANT millions of hours of films, TV box sets,

classic serials, and original commissioned
stagnation. Because, while financial services
is broadly represented in our ranking,

CONTENT? material. In fact, that is the big opportunity, none of those brands made the top 20.
and challenge, of today’s media landscape.

26 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 27

 TRENDS ARE One final note on Mastercard’s ascent. It
appears to reflect a wider trend in the arena
recommendations for how brands can learn
to cope with the turbulence. Some of it’s

SHIFTING FASTER
of money, which is that the real gains are not a comfortable read, but it’s vital to know
being made by businesses that harness what’s coming down the road towards you.
the disruptive forces of technology. The information in this report will, we believe,

THAN EVER, WITH

form part of that crucial navigation guide to
And with Apple, Facebook, and Google the automotive future.
all making moves in the financial services
space we wonder: Could this be banking’s

STREETWEAR Uber moment? DESIRE: BEYOND

RETAIL AND LUXURY

HAVING A SERIOUS MOVE: BEYOND In luxury, tech hit hard — Instagram, Pinterest

and YouTube are now names as readily
AUTOMOTIVE dropped as any Paris designer. And trends

INFLUENCE, YOUNGER
Best Global Brands 2019 features a large are shifting faster than ever, with streetwear
number of automotive brands, many of having a serious influence, younger
them well-known, globally-respected and consumers demanding to join the party, and

CONSUMERS
long-established. However, this is one new global markets’ tastes changing the
of the sectors with the biggest, scariest game. Brands in the luxury space who have
challenges looming in the near future. picked up the pace and adapted to the times

DEMANDING TO JOIN
Its overall growth rate is nowhere near that are doing well; those who have been slower
of the booming technology sector, which to embrace the new paradigm are struggling
is in many ways a potential rival, and to keep their famous brands relevant.
there’s a perfect storm of technological,

THE PARTY AND NEW geopolitical, regulatory, and societal

factors combining to make their business
landscape look more like a minefield.
More broadly, sportswear has moved the dial
from function to fashion, thereby boosting
big names like Nike. High street retailers are

GLOBAL MARKETS’
under an increasing threat from tech-enabled
But the smarter automotive brands are internet shopping, with social commerce
already readying their strategy to deal and online influencers feeding the move

TASTES CHANGING
with the fast-changing demands of their away from brick-and-mortar. Some physical
customers and the threats posed by shifts retailers are now fighting back, though, with
in consumption and purchasing patterns. a move towards curated, hyper-personalized,

THE GAME.
The category is ripe for an iconic move hyper-local environments rather than just
by one or more of the major brands, clothes rails, mirrors, and music.
whether automotive or technology, which
will define how their future pans out. In luxury and in premium retail we see
brands leveraging their DNA into experiences
This is going to be a fascinating period that provide consumers with a memorable,
of disruption and change, and inside shareable experience based on their
our in-depth sector report you’ll find personal data.
some very interesting inside information
on how some of the biggest players see Meanwhile, there are some kinds of retail
their strategy evolving, and our expert that can only be tackled with physical stores,

28 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 29

 THE WORLD’S
like IKEA’s furniture and homeware business. can learn to cope with the turbulence.
Right? Wrong. The Swedish brand has quietly The information in this report will, we believe,
chipped away at establishing a credible form part of that crucial navigation guide

LEADING
online presence and has now evolved to to the technology future.
include a subscription model. It’s more proof
that while the winds of change have blown
EXPLORE: BEYOND
TECHNOLOGY AND
some retail businesses off course, the brand-
led, customer-focused ones are managing
to navigate the changes with aplomb. TRAVEL
Today’s customers are more informed,

ELECTRONICS CONNECT: BEYOND

TECHNOLOGY
more connected, and more demanding
than ever before. As a consequence,
we find ourselves in an entirely new

BRANDS MAKE
business environment — one in which your
The world’s leading technology and customers’ experiences are cast and
electronics brands make up 50% of the recast by businesses beyond your category.

UP 50% OF THE TOP

top ten Best Global Brands in 2019; their
impact upon customers, business' and We take a look at how the ease, convenience,
wider society has been profound. personalization, and self-empowerment of

TEN BEST GLOBAL

the Best Global Brands have transformed
Uber’s immediacy, Amazon’s abundance, customers’ expectations of how they travel
and Netflix’s intimacy ripple across every and where they stay. We also interview the

BRANDS IN 2019.
aspect of life and line of business, raising the CEO of Global Hotels Alliance and marketing
threshold of what makes a good experience chief at Ritz Carlton on the future of loyalty
for businesses that play in and out of this and the technology enabled experience
arena. They have redefined loyalty and customers demand.
enabled the mass and rapid adoption of new
technologies such as IoT, Voice, and AI. We look at the cruise industry, perhaps the
most challenging category of travel and
Yet despite what currently looks like almost tourism, in which every aspect of hospitality
limitless opportunities and total brand is being put to the test. We look at emerging
domination, sustainable growth for the subscription models across the travel
tech giants is not without its challenges. sector to understand how new business
As they grow larger and ever more powerful, models are driving change and we look
their latent promise becomes clouded by at the human truths driving innovation in
regulatory concerns. As they set their sights the category and beyond.
on connecting ever more intimate aspects
of our lives, customers also wrestle with the
degree to which they prize utility over privacy.

This is a fascinating period of disruption

and change, with implications both inside
the category and far beyond. Inside our
in-depth sector report you’ll find some inside
information on how some of the biggest
players see their strategy evolving, and our
expert recommendations for how brands

30 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 31

 METHODOLOGY
Interbrand’s brand valuation methodology Financial Data
seeks to provide a rich and insightful analysis Financial Forecast
of your brand, providing a clear picture of
how your brand is contributing to business
growth today, together with a road map of
activities to ensure that it is delivering even
further growth tomorrow.
Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters),
Having pioneered brand valuation in 1988, company annual reports, investor
we have a deep understanding of the impact presentations and analyst reports
a strong brand has on key stakeholder
groups that influence the growth of your
business, namely (current and prospective)
Brand
customers, employees, and investors. Social Media Analysis Value
Strong brands influence customer choice and
create loyalty; attract, retain, and motivate Role of Brand
talent; and lower the cost of financing.
Our brand valuation methodology has been
specifically designed to take all of these
factors into account. Text Analytics and Social Listening by Infegy

Interbrand was the first company to have

its methodology certified as compliant with
the requirements of ISO 10668 (requirements Consumer Goods Data
for monetary brand valuation) and played
a key role in the development of the standard
itself. There are three key components
to all of our valuations: an analysis of the
financial performance of the branded
products or services, the role the brand GlobalData (brand volumes and values) Brand Strength
plays in purchase decisions, and the brand’s
competitive strength.

For a more in-depth view, visit

interbrand.com/bestglobalbrands

34 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 35

 BRAND STRENGTH EXTERNAL 5 AUTHENTICITY
The brand is soundly based on an internal
FACTORS truth and capability. It has a defined story

FACTORS
and a well-grounded value set. It can
deliver against the (high) expectations that
customers have of it.

6 RELEVANCE
The fit with customer/consumer needs,
desires, and decision criteria across all
relevant demographics and geographies.
INTERNAL 1 CLARITY
Clarity internally about what the brand
FACTORS stands for in terms of its values, positioning
and proposition. Clarity too about target 7 DIFFERENTIATION
audiences, customer insights, and drivers. The degree to which customers/consumers
perceive the brand to have a differentiated
proposition and brand experience.

2 COMMITMENT
Internal commitment to the brand, and
a belief internally in its importance. 8 CONSISTENCY
The extent to which the brand receives The degree to which a brand is experienced
support in terms of time and influence. without fail across all touchpoints or formats.

3 GOVERNANCE 9 PRESENCE
The degree to which the organization has The degree to which a brand feels
the required skills and an operating model for omnipresent and is talked about positively
the brand that enables effective and efficient by consumers, customers, and opinion
deployment of the brand strategy. formers in both traditional and social media.

4 RESPONSIVENESS 10 ENGAGEMENT
The organization’s ability to constantly evolve The degree to which customers/consumers
the brand and business in response to, or show a deep understanding of, active
anticipation of, market changes, challenges, participation in, and a strong sense of
and opportunities. identification with, the brand.

36 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 37

 By now you will have seen our list of 2019’s best global
brands. You may be thinking, “how can I maintain focus
on long-term goals, whilst delivering to short-term needs?
How can I influence transformation internally?”
Or even, “how can I improve the value of my brand?
How can I invest more effectively in my people?”

Here are some sessions we can run to help make

that happen:

DEPARTURE POINT TRAJECTORY MAPPING

ANALYSIS
An initial baseline examination of your
Assess the performance of your brand brand by assessing its performance across
through the lenses of Human Truths, Interbrand’s ten proprietary Brand Strength
Experiences, and Economics. Establish dimensions. Identify areas of opportunity
what needs your brand is addressing, what to improve the brand, and define an initial
TAKE YOUR BRAND
BEYOND SESSIONS

interactions it has with audiences, and what activation roadmap with clear measures
the business model, competitive landscape, of success.
and relative performance look like within
this context.
ACADEMY WORKSHOP
ICONIC MOVES Your talent is your lifeblood. Brand Clarity,
DIAGNOSTIC Commitment, and the Confidence of your
team is vital to sustaining any moves you are
Explore the signifiers of an Iconic Move making as a business. Through one of our
within your category and identify those that Academy workshops, we will map how your
offer your brand the most promising growth culture and learning is set up for, and can
trajectory. At Interbrand, we focus on those deliver on, your ambition.
moves that reframe customer expectations — 
actions that can sway the way people within
or outside an organization think, choose, and
behave — and create the most growth. Contact: Gonzalo Brujó
Global Chief Growth Officer, Interbrand
[email protected]
MISSION: AMBITION
Identify your brand’s farthest-reaching
business goal: its Ambition. Stretching into
the long term this ambition should be simple,
challenging, compelling — and underpinned
by clear KPIs. The resulting ambition
will command commitment, demand
measurement, and stand powerfully as
an act of leadership.

40 Best Global Brands 2019 Iconic Moves 41

44 Best Global Brands 2019