Brands as

Acts of Leadership
 Introduction
There’s little denying, we are Over the past 30 years, we have
living through a renaissance, conducted thousands of brand
a period in time when our valuation exercises, underpinned
understanding of the world shifts.  by our proprietary Brand Strength
framework, to help business'
Change is perpetual; it’s the create roadmaps to stronger
modus operandi in which we growth. This year, against a
must build and manage brands backdrop of increased economic
today—the macro level context uncertainty, the cumulative
Gonzalo Brujó in which business exists. value of the world’s 100 Best
Global Chief Executive Humanity will advance more in Global Brands surpasses $3
Officer, Interbrand the next fifty years than it has trillion for the first time—up
in all of history—a shift driven 16% year on year; proof that
largely by technology. This strong brands have greater
acceleration will fundamentally resilience in tough times.
shift how we engage with
each other, with business, Are the world’s most valuable
and with the world at large. brands impervious to risk? No.
   
Renowned business thinker The average age of the top 5
and leadership scholar brands in our ranking is just
Prof. Rita McGrath argues: 39.6 years vs an average of 110
years across all 100 brands.
Competition is fierce, and the
Big inflection moments speed at which the world’s
most relevant businesses can
change the recipe scale is unprecedented. So too
for success.” is the risk. In the two decades
since we launched Best Global
Brands, only 36 companies
But in a world where change is have remained in our Top 100
the norm, what is the inflection Table. More than 140 have
point? And more importantly, dropped off in the intervening
what does the new recipe years, including staple brands
for success look like, for the such as Nokia, AOL, Yahoo! and
world’s biggest brands? MTV (once such a significant
presence in so many of our lives). 

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 3

What does this mean
for business today?
And how will the role
of brand evolve?
Over the past decade, we’ve Today, the world’s most companies aren’t contained drive exponential growth in new
seen and felt the forces of a new successful companies start by sectors, or silos, or swim spaces, whilst continuing to
league in business—as evidenced not with product, but with lanes; they transcend traditional capitalize on existing incremental
in our Best Global Brands ranking; brand—as their critical growth category thinking. Built on sector gains. At Interbrand,
companies whose growth far asset and engine. The brand a foundation of exceptional we call this Arena Thinking. 
surpasses all competition—with is a vehicle through which the products and strong and
no signs of slowing down. This business is able to address a emotionally meaningful So how can the leaders of
year, the cumulative value of the range of different customer customer relationships, these today and tomorrow deploy
top #10 brands (1,649 $m) is needs (or jobs to be done)— companies move in multiple their brand as an asset, to
greater than the combined value through an extended portfolio directions. They use the utility drive commercial success? 
of the next #90 (1,440 $m).  of differentiated products and and equity in their brand to
services. These companies
The leaders of these super brands leverage the utility in their brand
understand how, where and to drive exponential growth.
when to deploy their brand as an  
asset against emerging customer As Manfredi Ricca, Interbrand’s
needs, in this landscape of Global Chief Strategy Officer,
perpetual, constant change. points out in this report: These

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 5

Brands as Acts of
Leadership: An evolving
meaning system
Business now has more of a brand complements and fits in
role to play in creating a more to their own meaning systems,
equitable society, in service of a driving a deeper emotional
range of stakeholders, including connection and higher relevance.
shareholders, employees, This notion goes beyond what we
communities and consumers. have come to call purpose. It’s a
This burning platform creates an higher order of Brand Leadership, Over the past 18 months at Our Climate Initiative, launched
equity in solving collective social underpinned by flawless Interbrand, we have been during Best Global Brands in
challenges—and brand becomes interactions and fearless actions.  investing in making our own 2021, has attracted significant
the essential vehicle for change.    Moves, designed to help our interest, and with our corporate
  We call these signals ‘Acts of clients and partners do things brand partners, continues to
The brands who have the Leadership.’ They are tough, right and do the right things. scale. This program is now the
potential to thrive in this Decade often unapologetic, and singular We’ve introduced dedicated largest co-creation initiative
of Possibility will balance stances; North Stars that guide practice areas focused on of its kind—engaging brands,
exceptional experience and a company’s decision making Brand Ethics, Environment and consumers and governments
unparalleled integrity, in order and leadership—across all Inclusive Design. For the first around the world. More and
to drive sustainable revenue operations. When applied in a time, we have incorporated more corporate members are
growth and profit. They will context of perpetual change, quantitative environmental, joining this coalition each week.
do things right and they will these Acts have clear potential societal and governance (ESG)
have an increased focus on to accelerate a business’s data into our Best Global Brands Alongside our endeavors in
doing the right things.  ability to make informed, timely methodology. We talk more to climate and sustainability, we
  and relevant decisions—and the implications of this shift, have built an Ethics practice
These signals help consumers in turn deliver deeper, more and what Interbrand is doing to to help organizations act with
understand where and when meaningful and more powerful support our clients, later in this integrity—something we believe
they share common values with customer relationships.  Best Global Brands report. will form the core of trust and
a brand—and how and where the   the basis of a corporation’s

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 7

 permission to operate moving enables a brand to progress along
forward. And we have scaled a trajectory with confidence—
our Inclusive Design practice, to redefining customer expectation,
help brands be as inclusive as creating new category norms
possible across every touchpoint. and delivering Iconic Moves.
 
Through all of our work in All of us at Interbrand
these spaces, we have come to congratulate and celebrate each
understand, brands who embrace of the 100 brands who have been
Acts of Leadership find that they included in this year’s Best Global
are able to transcend traditional Brands ranking. And we look
sectors easier and scale faster forward to working closely with
than their competition. These all brands as we progress in this
Acts of Leadership provide the Decade of Possibility together.
clarity and sense of direction than

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 9

Introducing
Brand
Leadership
A time to unlearn
In his most recent bestselling Baffled by the inner workings The advent of quantum physics paradigm. The role of companies
book1, globally celebrated of atoms and immersed in serves as a reminder of the fact is shifting—and so must our
physicist and science storyteller those years’ philosophical and that, while change is perpetual, understanding of brands.
Carlo Rovelli tells the story of how scientific debates, Heisenberg there are times when we feel
in 1925 a young man, working —in a moment of true genius— the need to break away from In last year’s Best Global Brands
alone on a remote, windswept chose to depart abruptly from what is comfortably intuitive report, we highlighted some of
North Sea island, developed traditional approaches in physics and leap ahead; when we must the current context’s challenges.
a radical insight that would and start afresh from a radically challenge our certainties, set Inequality. Economic uncertainty.
transform how we think about new angle. He worked feverishly Manfredi Ricca aside our deepest held beliefs Resource depletion. Climate
the nature of things. His thinking around the clock to develop Global Chief and make radical departures change. Health epidemics and
didn’t just revolutionize our that intuition into what was to Strategy Officer from what we know. A process, pandemics. Overconsumption.
understanding of the universe; it become a breakthrough paper, Rovelli says, of ‘unlearning what Humanitarian crises. Political
also shaped the course of modern laying the foundations of quantum we previously learned rather divisiveness. Conflict. War.
technology, and reverberates in theory—the gateway to making than learning new things.’
much of our everyday life—from sense of our physical world. Within this context, corporations
new computers all the way to solar A look at the current economic have been seen as an inevitable
cells and clinical diagnostics. The In a recent interview2, Rovelli debate makes it hard not to part of our collective problems
island was Helgoland, and the describes quantum physics as think we’re at a ‘quantum —engines for consumption
young man—who had retreated ‘an extraordinary radical step. moment,’ where much of what prioritizing profit above all else.
there for medical reasons— was It’s the fundamental way we we know must be unlearned. Indispensable but harmful. And
a twenty-four-year-old physicist have found to describe how Shaken by local and planetary yet, clinging on to the ‘necessary
named Werner Heisenberg. everything works… and yet it crises, our most fundamental evil’ consumerist paradigm seems
has a mysterious side. It is not convictions about capitalism, unviable. So, where next?
intuitive. It looks strange.’ growth and the very function
of business are rupturing. To answer this question, we
must first understand the
Yesterday’s assumptions about role that brands must play in
shareholder value as a singular shaping a better path forward.
1 Carlo Rovelli, Helgoland, Allen Lane, 2021 goal are today’s relics of a broken
2 New Humanist, 2021

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 11

 Legislation

Integrity
Surpassing functional,
emotional and moral
expectations

Doing things Expectations

The world’s most right, doing

powerful narratives the right things

Societal change is now seen So if businesses have never companies’ outspoken protection We may borrow from the work
not just by leading thinkers, been so central to societies, then of their employees’ rights. of Oxford economist Kate
but by the public too, as being brands—the constructs around This is a radical shift from Raworth4 to illustrate this. These
a core function of companies. which trust is formed— have never the times when brands were brands provide experiences that
The business of business is been so central to businesses. consistently advised to steer well sit within a ‘doughnut’—they
no longer just business. Over the past decade, our study clear of controversy and focus consistently surpass customer
of the world’s most valuable on commerce. Extraordinary expectations, but within the
As a recent study conducted by global brands has seen the times reward bold moves, not limits of ethical standards
Edelman, a consultancy, shows, emergence of a new league of fearful silences. Once seen that are deliberately stricter
companies have become the most brands: a cohort whose growth as the safe way to healthy than rules and regulations.5
trusted type of institution, ahead far surpasses all competition— growth, today neutrality is
of government, media and NGOs.3 with no signs of slowing down. seen as a failure of leadership; Fall below expectations, and
This year, the cumulative value activism, its embodiment. demand and loyalty are at risk.
If this is true, then brands are, of the top 10 brands (1,649 $m) Overshoot ethical standards,
by implication, the world’s is greater than the combined As a result, today’s most relevant and reputation and governance
most powerful narratives. value of the next 90 (1,440 $m). and valuable brands are those are at risk. By operating within
that seem to effortlessly balance the doughnut, they make the
With trust in traditional institutions Many of the brands in this power and responsibility. As such, moves that consistently show
dwindling, it is to great brands league do more than offer they are not just growth engines; the way, redefining both what
that many of us look up for exceptional products, services they are acts of leadership that ‘great’ and ‘good’ look like.
true leadership in and beyond and experiences. They take sides shift our expectations in terms of They show leadership, mitigate
crisis. We see them as beacons on the most critical debates experiences, yes—but ethics too. risk and sustain growth.
of change, and expect them of our times, from Apple’s
to be about much more than pledge to privacy to Nike’s
the marketing of an offer. stances on inclusion, to many
4. Kate Raworth, Doughnut Economics, Random House, 2018
3. Edelman Trust Barometer, 2022. 5. Developed in conjunction with Principia Advisory.

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 13

 Growth across Arenas
By combining great interactions While the idea that exceptional The same is true of brands. When
and meaningful actions, experiences drive loyalty and we have a strong functional,
these brands pursue more advocacy is unsurprising, the emotional and moral connection
than purpose and achieve emergence of ethics as a key with a brand—when this brand
more than sheer growth. driver of brand growth is intuitively delivers exceptional products,
in tune with the zeitgeist—but less unequalled experiences, and acts
They embrace and show what supported by studies. To fill this with uncompromising integrity—
at Interbrand we define Brand gap, we investigated the subject we want to spend more time with
Leadership—they do things right, through a global quantitative that brand; we want it to succeed;
offering superlative experiences, consumer study earlier this year.6 and we want it to play a bigger
and do the right things, acting Our regression analysis shows role in our lives. We’re also more
with uncompromising integrity. that the correlation between likely to trust them as they enter
They make iconic moves that a brand’s ethical credibility new spaces. We welcome them to
walk the talk to drive change and its competitive strength ask, ‘What else can I do for you’?
and talk the walk to inspire is stronger than ever before
it, setting the foundations —especially on the factors of This is precisely where the
for extraordinary growth. Affinity, Trust and Participation. exponential growth we see across
the ‘super league’ of brands
Now, think about a personal begins. Built on a foundation of
relationship. When you meet exceptional experiences and
someone whom you don’t just strong integrity, these brands
admire, but who also shares can expand in multiple directions,
your values, helps solve your with far more freedom and fluidity
challenges or needs, is there than traditional diversification.
for you in the moments that It’s not a question of ‘we do
matter (regardless of how big this, we can do that too’, but
or small), there’s a good chance ‘you trust us, and here’s what
you want to spend more time else we might help you do.’
with that person—to have them
more involved in your life.

6. Please contact us to learn more

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 15

 Traditionally, companies would us Play and Learn, and does so in with tough decisions, do the right same resources. Nike, Apple,
start with a product addressing a many more ways than it originally thing. These are the brands we Philips, pharmaceuticals and
singular, specific customer need. did. The same applies for the want to help us in new ways. a host of other organisations
These companies would build a likes of Microsoft or Disney. all want to help us Thrive. And
brand around a core product and What these organizations do is Providing superb experiences LEGO, Amazon, Netflix, Roblox,
then leverage its strengths to drive place at their core not product, while acting with uncompromising bands, sports clubs and many
growth, in pursuit of becoming a but brand, leadership. And rather integrity is an incredibly tall order. other diverse players all want
category leader. Think Coca-Cola, than build their brand around a With mounting cynicism and to help us Play. Who would
Gillette, Pampers or Colgate. business, they build businesses distrust, scrutiny is incessant. have thought. As Columbia
around their brand. That may Brand Leadership is hard to build, professor Rita McGrath writes,
Now consider Apple or Google. It’s sound counter intuitive (and and easy to destroy—but it’s what thinking your major competition
hard to fit them within categories yes, slightly quantum), but at a sustains extraordinary growth. is in your own industry creates
(what they do)—things get clearer time when true leadership is far some dangerous blind spots.
when taking the perspective of more rare than competences These companies leverage  
customer jobs to be done (what or quality—remember, there are their Brand Leadership to drive At Interbrand, we call this
they help us do). Apple helps us no bad cars any more— there exponential growth across Arena thinking. It’s the
Connect, Do, Belong, Play, Pay is no more powerful asset competitive arenas, where very foundation that allows our
and—more recently— Thrive. than a brand that leads. different players compete for the clients to make Iconic Moves.
Rumor has it that soon it may help
us Move, too. Google helps us So what’s the red thread? Our
Learn, Connect, Move—and even trust in these companies’ Brand
Dwell. Nike—not a FAANG— helps Leadership. Our expectation
us Thrive and Express ourselves. that, day in, day out, they will do
LEGO, a 90-year-old brand, helps things right; and, when faced

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 17

Building
Brand Leadership

As we introduce our 2022 Best

Global Brands study, it’s worth
reflecting on the essential steps
through which we help our
clients build Brand Leadership.

1. Explore your arena. 3. Define your trajectory. The turbulent times we are facing participation, public/private
Consider the needs you’re Determine the principles at require a ‘quantum’ reset. We partnerships and philanthropy
addressing now and might the heart of your experience must unlearn the conventions of to address global challenges.
address next. Identify whom and ethical leadership that will consumerism and shareholder
you’re really competing with now make your brand a great and capitalism, and embrace the Like never before, the world
and may be competing with next. good addition to the arenas you new role that brands must play. demands businesses to show
Look at how you might address want to play in. Be ruthlessly true leadership and fearless
better the jobs you’re already singular and pragmatic about For the first time, the 100 most action—because when that
helping customers get done now; what will make your brand a valuable global brands exceed happens, new sources of
think about the many ways in strong centerpoint for your an aggregate value of three growth materialize, creating
which IKEA helps people dwell. business. Could your brand trillion. Brands have never had as immense possibility for all.
become a verb that encapsulates much power and responsibility,
2. Explore possibilities. a way of doing things? and on such a scale. This is Now is the time for business
What other jobs could you help a time to abandon cynicism leaders to rethink their brands
customers get done next, based 4. Make your moves. and small thinking, and accept as their most influential
on your edge, relationships, Walk the talk and talk the walk: the influence and legacy that acts of leadership.
and the way the context is make meaningful and visible great brands can have on the
changing? Think about the way
in which Amazon is moving
moves that give your purpose
impact and that inspire others
choices and behaviours of their
customers, yes—but also on their
Every time that something solid
across very different arenas, to follow your leadership. talent and communities too, be is put into doubt or dismantled,
helping people procure, play, they local, regional or global. something else opens up,
learn, and much, much more. and allows us to see further
Now is the opportunity for
brand leaders to build stronger
than we could before.”
relationships beyond transactions,
and intertwine constituent -Carlo Rovelli, Helgoland

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 19

How to move from
“Mitigation Mindset”
to “Leadership
Stance” Brand Leadership in the “cancel” era

Interbrand’s contention, shared in the Intuitively, the idea of brands to consumers. Why, then, is it
introduction to this years’ Best Global Brands as acts of leadership feels in so difficult to point to brands
report (p4), is that today’s most relevant and tune with the zeitgeist—but we with a clear and compelling
valuable brands are balancing acts of power wanted to establish quantitatively stance? Well, as we argued in
and responsibility, not just engines of growth whether consumers are sensitive the introduction to this report, a
—but acts of leadership. In this article we to environmental and social well-run brand used to steer away
explore the opportunities and challenges of issues in their decision making. from controversy and focus on
both doing things right, and doing the right Chris Nurko The results suggest a resounding “commerce” but safe silences are
things, drawing on Best Global Brands data, Global Innovation “yes”: We found that more than no longer rewarded and, today,
best-in-class examples, and some of the Officer 90% of people are aware and neutrality is seen as a failure of
proprietary methodologies we offer our clients. concerned by environmental and leadership. This leaves brands
social issues and that these topics caught in a tension—between
are material to brand relevance. criticism of “not doing enough”
Brand integrity and Ethics, along at one end of the spectrum,
with the perception of having a or of “doing things wrong” at
positive impact on society, is a the other. This tension leads to
statistically significant driver of what we’re calling a “mitigation
choice in all sectors and in all mindset”—an understandable
steps of the customer journey. tendency towards doing enough
to not be wrong, but not enough
Convincing numbers, but to be exceptional. What does it
perhaps it’s not “new news” take to move from a “mitigation
that these topics are of concern mindset” to a leadership stance?

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 21

Integrity at the core
As we are coming to realize, the such as technology, in which problem. In the company’s 2022 progressive leadership teams,
world’s ongoing and accelerating new innovations are live before Impact Summary, CEO Satya like that of Microsoft, have
transformation has the potential safeguards such as laws and Nadella wrote, “our actions must a reliable and robust means
for very ‘Good’ and very ‘Bad’ policies can be put in place,1 be aligned with addressing the for navigating the decisions
outcomes. In this fluid and the integrity of a corporation world’s problems, not creating they are making to ensure the
rapidly changing context, an and the resulting trust its brand new ones,” implicitly suggesting outcomes have integrity. At
organizational ethics framework engenders is emerging as a that as it integrates technology Microsoft, it appears that a
creates the ability to behave in competitive advantage. ever deeper within the human strong foundation of integrity and
a consistently responsible way experience, it needs to do so in ethical decision making is doing
for all stakeholders. The creation It’s within this context that a manner that protects human exactly what it should: driving
of such a framework involves Microsoft’s subtle but powerful values, human truths and human trust in the brand and increasing
aligning organizational culture, stance of Integrity powers its priorities—as defined by a robust brand and wider stakeholder
values, systems, and decision brand—following a focused effort code of ethics. Today’s most value at the same time.
making. Today, organizational to drive trust in products that
ethics—and the translation of enhance the human experience,
these to measurable and credible rather than undermine it. The
impacts— has become the core corporation is acutely aware
of reputation, and the basis of its role within society and is
of a corporation’s license to clear on its intention to be a part
operate. In fast moving spaces of the solution, not a part of the

1. Human Development Report, United Nations Development Programme

https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2021-
22?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIofOs_aeN-wIVTu3tCh0HOgBhEAAYASABEgLj1fD_BwE

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 23

 Moving climate
from push to pull
Tesla is the second fastest 2. The climate crisis is the to perfection, has created a
growing brand in our 2022 world’s biggest problem with leadership position. And in
ranking, with 32% growth YOY the world’s worst marketing… making the right choice the
and a value of 48,002 $m; it is Working with the United Nations most desirable choice, Tesla
perhaps the best embodiment Development Programme has reset expectations around
INTERESTED IN EXPLORING of shifting expectations in and a coalition of Best Global brands with climate issues at the
AN ETHICAL FRAMEWORK terms of environment and Brands, Interbrand is leading core —setting the bar for other
FOR YOUR BRAND? experience. Tesla has acted the world’s largest co-creation players and raising the bar for its
Interbrand is proud to have upon two truths about the race exercise—with 1,000+ people brand value at the same time.
partnered with Principia to save the planet that others in 12 global cities, representing
Advisory—the leading advisory have yet to capitalise on: 50+ nationalities on 6 continents.
firm on organizational ethics. Our initial findings show that that
Together, we are helping forward- 1. The climate crisis will create brands tend to communicate INTERESTED IN ELEVATING
thinking organizations resolve economic transformation akin in language that confuses or WHAT IT MEANS TO
their most challenging ethics to the first industrial revolution. alienates consumers, leading to BE A LEADER?
problems to create legacy- A recent research note from individual and collective inaction. Interbrand is working with the
level change that is integrated Credit Suisse, suggested that United Nations Development
into organizational purpose. forthcoming climate legislation Tesla, whose mission is Programme (UNDP) to offer a
“will have a profound effect on the accelerating the transition to unique new service to clients.
American Economy in the next green energy, capitalizes on these Leveraging the UNDP's unrivaled
decade and beyond” and that for opportunities by delivering its expertise in climate, nature,
big corporations, the legislation solutions in the most relevant and energy and sustainable finance,
“definitively changes the narrative desirable way possible. In short, Interbrand’s unrivalled expertise
from risk mitigation to opportunity the Tesla brand is to climate what building the best global brands,
capture”. The bank estimates the the Apple brand is to technology— and our Human Truths teams’
legislation could add 1.7 $tn and is moving the climate narrative unrivalled expertise in creating
to the US economy alone. from push to pull. Of course, the most relevant outcomes in the
Tesla is not without controversy, most agile way—we are elevating
in particular around the activities what it means to be a leader— fit
of its CEO, Elon Musk. However, for the transition and beyond that
a clear organizational stance will reward people and planet
on this single issue, executed

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 25

Inclusive by Design

As Nike enters the top 10 for push down. Sarah said: “I was FIND OUT MORE
the first time ever, with an 18% really tired of being told ‘those are Interbrand’s Inclusive Design
increase YOY and a brand value the shoes that are for you because practice works with its talent,
of 50,289 $m—arguably the you have a disability,’ so I think partners and clients to break
most inclusive brand on the we’ve been very deliberate in that down the design divide, by
planet, built from a core belief we might be designing for people removing barriers across
that everyone is an athlete. Nike’s with disabilities, but this shoe is for every brand experience. Every
stance on inclusion—celebrating everybody,’’ she says. There are touchpoint of a customer journey
life through sport— captures the many slip-on shoes on the market, has the potential to make life
zeitgeist and stands in direct but the FlyEase line is designed better. As a result of their efforts,
contrast to the ‘status quo’ in with both fashion and the needs brands who champion a wider
which outdated ideals, apathy of people with disabilities in mind. spectrum of human need are
and historic legacy have led starting to experience some
to a divide that many brands The Go FlyEase is proof that key benefits. So, with a view to
have unwittingly perpetuated. universal design can actually future-proofing ourselves, our
Sarah Reinertsen is a former lead to a product that’s better societies and our economies,
Paralympian who had to wear for everyone—to that end the we want to help our clients move
specialist medical footwear for brand quickly sold out of the from ‘passive’ to ‘purposeful’
years, which she says made her Go at launch in February 2021 in their inclusivity efforts.
feel ‘othered.’ Sarah is also a and faced some criticism from
designer at the FlyEase Innovation the disabled community as it
team at Nike, which has quickly sold out. While Nike never
developed Nike’s first universally intended artificial scarcity—it
designed shoe—rather than using supplied tens of thousands of
straps or laces, it simply hinges pairs for launch— the company
open and closed, so the wearer had to quickly address shortages.
just needs to slip their foot in and

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 27

Top 100 For the first time ever, the total
brand value of a Best Global
Brands has reached over $3
trillion. To be precise, the overall
value of the Top 100 brands
is $3,088,930m, a 16% rise
from 2021 ($2,667,524m).
This year sees the fastest
rate of brand value growth
ever recorded, demonstrating
the growing contribution a
company’s brand has in driving
its economic success. While
financial markets have shown
significant swings over the last
few years, the value of the world’s
strongest brands have steadily
increased driving customer
choice, loyalty and margins.

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 29

Top 10 Brands 2022
Brand Value
(USD M)
2021
Brand Value
(USD M)
% Change
(CY)
Rank
2022 / 2021

In the top ten brands we address). Apple helps us Connect,

Technology 482,215 408,251 18% 1 1
see exponential growth and Do, Belong, Play, Pay and —more
the emergence of a ‘super recently— Thrive. Rumor has it
league.’ Built on a foundation that soon it may help us Move, Technology 278,288 210,191 32% 2 3
of exceptional experiences too. Google helps us get many
and strong integrity, these jobs done, like Learn, Connect,
Technology 274,819 249,249 10% 3 2
companies can move in multiple Move —and even Dwell. Nike—
directions, growing their share in not a FAANG— helps us Thrive
customers’ lives, along with their and Express ourselves. We can Technology 251,751 196,811 28% 4 4
brand value and market cap. think along the same lines for
the likes of Microsoft or Disney. Technology 87,689 74,635 17% 5 5
It's increasingly difficult to fit
the Top 10 into categories (what Ultimately, these organizations are
do Apple and Google do?), but building businesses around their Automotive 59,757 54,107 10% 6 7
things become much clearer brand (in contrast to the traditional
when taking the perspective of approach of building brand around Beverages 57,535 57,488 0% 7 6
customer jobs to be done (what a product) —and it’s setting them
aspects of consumers lives they apart from the rest of the pack.
Automotive 56,103 50,866 10% 8 8

Media 50,325 44,183 14% 9 10

Sporting Goods 50,289 42,538 18% 10 11

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 31

 01 02 03 04 05

+18% +32% +10% +28% +17%

482,215 $m 278,288 $m 274,819 $m 251,751 $m 87,689 $m

06 07 08 09 10

+10% 0% +10% +14% +18%

59,757 $m 57,535 $m 56,103 $m 50,325 $m 50,289 $m

11 12 13 14 15

+6% +32% +11% +21% +14%

48,647 $m 48,002 $m 46,331 $m 44,508 $m 41,298 $m

16 17 18 19 20

+14% -5% +3% -8% +5%

36,516 $m 34,538 $m 34,242 $m 32,916 $m 31,497 $m

21 22 23 24 25

+23% +32% +27% +14% +16%

30,660 $m 29,259 $m 27,398 $m 24,335 $m 24,268 $m

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 33

26 27 28 29 30 51 52 53 54 55

+7% +16% +9% +9% +23% +8% -1% +15% New +21%
22,837 $m 22,117 $m 21,928 $m 21,164 $m 20,417 $m 14,050 $m 13,832 $m 13,504 $m 13,416 $m 13,359 $m

31 32 33 34 35 56 57 58 59 60

+15% +1% +4% +23% +14% -8% +4% +3% +6% +4%
20,412 $m 19,622 $m 19,093 $m 18,694 $m 17,314 $m 12,985 $m 12,981 $m 12,915 $m 12,801 $m 12,767 $m

36 37 38 39 40 61 62 63 64 65

+17% +17% +19% +18% +9% +10% +13% +30 New +9%
17,311 $m 17,258 $m 17,058 $m 16,989 $m 16,375 $m 12,212 $m 11,884 $m 11,846 $m 11,547 $m 11,247 $m

41 42 43 44 45 66 67 68 69 70

+23% +19% +17% +3% +4% +18% +3% +16% +8% +6%
16,125 $m 15,931 $m 15,747 $m 15,487 $m 15,061 $m 11,039 $m 10,921 $m 10,676 $m 10,505 $m 10,324 $m

46 47 48 49 50 71 72 73 74 75

+11% +11% +10% +16% +12% -4% +5% -3% +17% +31%
14,976 $m 14,958 $m 14,819 $m 14,526 $m 14,431 $m 10,211 $m 10,130 $m 9,528 $m 9,521 $m 9,365 $m

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 35

76 77 78 79 80

+11% +27% +1% +8% +12%

9,015 $m 8,919 $m 8,747 $m 8,166 $m 7,764 $m

81 82 83 84 85

+19% +11% +14% New +10%

7,595 $m 7,518 $m 7,397 $m 7,326 $m 7,171 $m

86 87 88 89 90

+7% +9% +19% +21% +3%

6,634 $m 6,612 $m 6,552 $m 6,548 $m 6,486 $m

91 92 93 94 95

+9% +3% +15% +12% +5%

6,337 $m 6,130 $m 6,111 $m 6,089 $m 6,003 $m

96 97 98 99 100

+14% -15% +10% +7% +19%

5,917 $m 5,828 $m 5,593 $m 5,579 $m 5,491 $m

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 37

 Top 15 Risers
The Fastest Risers
2022 2021 2022
Brand Value Brand Value % Change
(USD M) (USD M) (CY) Rank / Change
The fastest risers in 2022 (in Microsoft, it appears that clear
terms of brand value % change, direction, combined with a strong
year-on-year) significantly foundation of integrity, is doing 278,288 210,191 32% 2 1
outperformed the fastest exactly what it should: driving
falling brands on three Brand trust in the brand and increasing 48,002 36,270 32% 12 2
Strength factors —Direction, brand and wider stakeholder
Agility and Participation. value at the same time.
29,259 22,109 32% 22 0
Direction —these brands set a Tesla, whose mission is
clear direction, ensuring that the accelerating the transition to
9,365 7,160 31% 75 1
entire organization knows where green energy, is a first mover
they are going, and are working capitalizing on the economic
towards the same ambition. opportunity that the energy 11,846 9,082 30% 63 8
transmission is creating, and it
Agility —having done this, they is doing so in a way that drives
move fast, bringing new products participation. In making the right 251,751 196,811 28% 4 0
and services to market and, where choice the desirable choice, Tesla
necessary, pivoting to address has had an incredible year in 27,398 21,600 27% 23 0
changing customer needs. spite of a semiconductor crisis,
with $47.2 billion in revenues
Participation —ultimately, and 87% growth in number of 8,919 7,024 27% 77 0
bringing people on a journey vehicles delivered. It has also
with them and making them increased its footprint in China 30,660 24,832 23% 21 0
part of the movement to create with the opening of a R&D center
an engaging brand world. and the addition of a data centre
to its Gigafactory in Shanghai. 20,417 16,656 23% 30 3
Microsoft, the fastest rising The continued market strength
brand has created a powerful of Tesla’s offerings and strong
18,694 15,174 23% 34 0
stance of integrity - following interest in upcoming launches
a focused effort to drive trust indicate that the Tesla brand and
in its products that enhance its’ products enjoy a differentiated 16,125 13,065 23% 41 9
the human experience, rather view in the consumers’ minds.
than undermine it and focus With no production yet, there
on improving the impacts of its are 1.2 million Cybertruck 44,508 36,766 21% 14 1
corporate actions across all of its reservations worth $80 billion.
stakeholder groups. CEO Satya Tesla is forecasting that it will 13,359 11,047 21% 55 5
Nadella is ranked as an A+ by his make 1.5 million vehicles in 2022,
people, and the leadership team up from 930,000 in 2021.
as a whole is ranked as an A. At 6,548 5,416 21% 89 5

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 39

 New Entrants
Red Bull is a brand that pioneered driven and “less dependent Xiaomi also enters the Best Global
54 the energy drinks market and on search engine marketing,” Brands ranking for the first time,
birthed a new marketing concept, according to Dave Stephenson, having been a strong player in the
which is why it reigns as the Airbnb CFO. This shift to brand Best China Brands ranking for
category leader, with the highest focus resulted in the “strongest numerous years. Xiaomi pioneered
market share of any energy ever” fourth quarter results, the concept of top-tier hardware
2022 Brand Value drink in the world. Yet despite driven by higher revenue and at a cutthroat price point, going
13,416 $m its fiercely successful product, increased marketing efficiency. from cult smartphone brand to
Red Bull is known more for its   mainstream player by shifting
brand than its product. The brand The fact that Airbnb has become its marketing mix—blending a
64 ambition reaches beyond the a noun and a verb all over the unique business model with a
can aiming to create a “World world proves that the brand has distinctive marketing philosophy.
of Red Bull” around athletes, a truly unique offering, which is  
events, dance and gaming, by why so many people are deeply The brand’s aim to ‘make friends
delivering phenomenal products passionate about it. The brand with its users’ has resulted in
2022 Brand Value and extreme experiences aims to be much more than a a highly engaged community
11,547 $m that are filled with adventure, marketplace that merely connects base that already had a perfect
culture, sports and innovation. guests and hosts, and they intend understanding of the brand’s
to achieve this by providing the philosophy before it entered
84 Airbnb also enters the Best ultimate service to their guests, Western Europe in 2017. The
Global Brands ranking for the anticipating their needs and ability to engage fans and try
first time, after the business going above and beyond (just innovative marketing strategies,
reached a billion cumulative guest like a good host) by offering a coupled with providing value
arrivals. Interestingly, Airbnb’s more personalized service. based on quality products and
positive momentum is owed to affordable pricing, has led them
2022 Brand Value
a strategic shift in marketing make a dent in a world dominated
7,326 $m
investment to be more brand- by Samsung and Apple.

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 41

Methodology

Interbrand’s brand valuation the cost of financing. Our brand

methodology seeks to provide a valuation methodology has been
rich and insightful analysis of your specifically designed to take all
brand, providing a clear picture of of these factors into account.
how your brand is contributing to
business growth today, together Interbrand was the first company
with a road map of activities to to have its methodology Financial Data:
ensure that it is delivering even certified as compliant with the
further growth tomorrow. requirements of ISO 10668
(requirements for monetary Refinitiv, company annual
Having pioneered brand brand valuation) and played a reports, investor presentations
valuation in 1988, we have a key role in the development of and analyst reports
deep understanding of the the standard itself. There are
impact a strong brand has on three key components to all of
key stakeholder groups that our valuations: an analysis of Social Media Analysis:
influence the growth of your the financial performance of the Text Analytics and Social
business, namely (current branded products or services, Listening by Infegy
and prospective) customers, the role the brand plays in
employees and investors. Strong purchase decisions, and the
brands influence customer choice brand’s competitive strength. Consumer Goods Data:
and create loyalty; attract, retain, For a more in-depth view, visit GlobalData (brand
and motivate talent; and lower bestglobalbrands.com. volumes and values)

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 43

Brand INTERNAL FACTORS EXTERNAL FACTORS

Leadership Engagement Relevance

Strength
Factors Direction Distinctiveness Presence
The degree to which there is a The existence of uniquely The degree to which a brand
clear purpose and ambition for ownable signature assets and feels omnipresent to relevant
the brand, a plan to deliver on experiences that are recognized audiences, is talked about
them over time, and a defined and remembered by customers positively, and is easily recalled
culture and values to guide how and difficult to replicate. when a customer has a need
those plans should be executed. in the brand’s category.
Coherence
Alignment The degree to which customer Trust
The degree to which the whole interactions, while varying The extent to which a brand is
organization is pulling in the depending on channel and seen to deliver against the (high)
same direction, committed context, remain authentic to expectations that customers
to the brand strategy and the brand’s narrative and feel. have of it, is perceived to
empowered by systems to act with integrity and with
execute it across the business. Participation customers’ interests in mind.
The degree to which the
Empathy brand has the ability to draw in Affinity
The degree to which the customers and partners, create a The degree to which customers
organization is in tune sense of dialogue and encourage feel a positive connection
with customers and wider involvement and collaboration. with the brand, based on the
stakeholders, actively functional and/or emotional
listening to and anticipating benefits provided, and/or a
their evolving needs, beliefs sense of having shared values.
and desires, and responding
effectively and appropriately.

Agility
The speed to market that a
company demonstrates in the
face of opportunity or challenge,
enabling it to get ahead and
stay ahead of expectations.

Best Global Brand 2022 Report 45

 Join us for one
CLIMATE: A CALL TO ACTION
At Interbrand, we recognize the urgent need for
systemic change. To that end, we are applying our
of the following expertise to rebrand the climate crisis. Join our
program, in conjunction with the United Nations
workshops Development Programme, to build a coalition of
like-minded brands and people, with the aim of
ensuring the well-being of future generations.

A FLAG IN THE FUTURE

The complex challenges of the present require
leaders of the future. To create hope in the face

Enter the New

of anxiety, we need leaders who are willing to
build relationships with customers that will change
the world. Join us to assess how your brand can
lead from the future. Use the time to set a worthy

Decade of
purpose and a powerful ambition that will steer
your brand through turbulence and chaos.

Possibility with
ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENCE
The battle for customers is increasingly won
and lost in the everyday brand experience. It’s
more vital than ever to work with customers and

Interbrand
employees as collaborators, co-creators and
innovators, optimizing, aligning and transforming
the experience, creating faster brand impact
that customers can see and feel every day.

Working with your customers to develop moves

that capture their imagination, and build synergistic
relationships, drives new relevance, engagement
and leadership to increase revenue and growth.

Contact: RELEVANCE: A SENSE OF BELONGING

Gonzalo Brujó In times of crisis, there is also great opportunity. Learn
Global Chief to demystify the narrative, mobilize and capture the
Executive Officer spirit of the age. Explore how to enroll your customers
[email protected] as active participants, constituents in your coalition,
rather than viewing them as just consumers.

HEARTBEAT SESSIONS: EXPLORE

WHAT MAKES US HUMAN
Explore problems facing brands from a new
perspective: the perspective of the customer.
Experience relevant brand ideas born from
human truths. Bring customer inspiration into your
boardroom, accelerate change around clear customer
needs, and create stakeholder alignment at speed.
Best Global Brand 2022 Report 47