BRAND FINANCE GLOBAL 500 2022 RANKING: TIKTOK IS THE FASTEST GROWING BRAND IN THE WORLD

• Newcomer to our ranking, TikTok, the world leader in the social media market, becomes the fastest growing brand in the world, with an increase of 215%

• Apple retains its title as the world's most valuable brand with a record valuation of over $355 billion, followed by Amazon and Google

• The United States and China continue to dominate the ranking, claiming 2/3 of the consolidated brand value, while France is 5th in consolidated brand value behind Germany and Japan

• Technology remains the most valued sector, while distribution, ranked 2nd, crosses the 1,000 billion USD mark (+46% growth in value)

• Due to the development of vaccines against COVID-19, the pharmaceutical sector is seeing the fastest growth, with a doubling in terms of ranking entries and increase in value, compared to 2020

• Tourism remains below the pre-pandemic assessment, but shows signs of recovery, with all brands in the ranking seeing their value increase as health constraints ease

• WeChat is the strongest brand in the world for the second consecutive year with a score of 93.3 out of 100 (AAA+ rating)

• Microsoft's Satya Nadella tops the 2022 Brand Finance Brand Guardianship Index, ranking the world's top 250 business managers.

View the full 2022 Brand Finance Global 500 report here

TikTok becomes the fastest growing brand in the world according to a new report released today by leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance. With an astonishing 215% growth from $18.7 billion to $59.0 billion, TikTok's brand value has tripled in the past year. Claiming 18th place among the 500 most valuable brands in the world, it is the new entrant at the highest rank in the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 Ranking.

Each year, Brand Finance conducts more than 5,000 brand assessments, backed by original market research, and publishes nearly 100 reports, classifying these brands according to their sectors and geographies. The 500 most valuable and strongest brands in the world are ranked each year within the Brand Finance Global 500, which in 2022 will honor its 16th edition.

With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions gripping 2021 around the world, digital entertainment, social media and streaming services have seen continued growth. The rise of TikTok testifies to the evolution of media consumption. With its easily digestible and entertaining content offering, the app's popularity has spread worldwide and acted as a creative outlet, allowing individuals to connect during lockdowns.

At the same time, strategic partnerships, like the one with UEFA Euro 2020, have allowed TikTok to reach new targets, beyond its original Gen Z base. It crossed the 1 billion user mark in 2021 and became the most downloaded app on Android's Google Play Store and Apple's App Store.

Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director of Brand Finance France, analyzes:

“Media consumption has increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the way we consume it has – moreover – irrevocably changed. The meteoric growth of TikTok is the best illustration of this, the brand having gone from relative secrecy to international fame in just a few years and its growth showing no signs of slowing down. »

Overall, the 3 fastest growing brands in our ranking are social media companies – social network Snapchat (brand value up 184% to $6.6 billion) and internet brand South Korean Kakao (up 161% to $4.7 billion) being neck and neck with TikTok.

Other key players in the media sector include leading streaming services, such as Disney (brand value up 11% to $57.0 billion), Netflix (brand value up 18% to 29, $4 billion), YouTube (up 38% to $23.9 billion) and Spotify (up 13% to $6.3 billion) all saw increases.

In stark contrast, traditional media brands have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with consumers preferring social media and on-demand streaming platforms. Warner Bros is among the fastest-falling brands in our rankings this year (brand value down 33% to $6.8 billion), and this trend is even more striking when comparing this year with the pre-pandemic valuations. Looking at the evolution of values ​​over the past two years of COVID-19, three media brands are among the five to have fallen the fastest – Warner Bros. saw the biggest loss in value with a 40% drop, with NBC (brand value $9.4 billion) and CBS (brand value $7.4 billion) posting losses of 38% and 36% respectively.

APPLE KEEPS ITS FIRST PLACE WITH A RECORD VALUATION

Apple retained its title as the world's most valuable brand after a 35% increase this year. Reaching USD 355.1 billion, the company's value is the highest ever recorded in the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 Ranking.

Apple had an exceptional year in 2021, becoming the first company to reach a market valuation of 3 trillion USD in 2022. The key to the tech giant's long-term success lies in constantly adapting its brand positioning and diversifying its offer, at the same time, to meet the constantly changing expectations of its customers.

The iPhone still accounts for about half of the brand's sales. However, this year Apple has given more attention to its other product lines with a new generation of iPad, a redesign of the iMac and the introduction of AirTags. Its range of services, from Apple Pay to Apple TV, has continued to grow and become increasingly important to the brand's success.

In addition, Apple knows the importance of listening to its customers. Privacy and the environment are hot topics, and Apple has been able to strengthen its position on both fronts - evidenced by its change in policy on the App Store, which better informs its users about how their data is used, and the announcement that Apple's contractors will further migrate to 100% renewable energy or the company's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

For Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director, Brand Finance France:

“Apple has an incredible command of customer loyalty, in large part due to its reputation for quality and innovation. The hard work that has gone into perfecting its brand allows it to not only compete, but also thrive in a host of markets – and with rumors abounding of its foray into the electric vehicle and VR markets , it seems that the company is ready for a new technological leap. »

Amazon and Google also saw good levels of growth, both retaining their places in the Brand Finance Global 500 rankings behind Apple at 2nd and 3rd respectively. Amazon joined Apple in crossing the $300 billion mark in brand value with a 38% increase to $350.3 billion, despite global supply chain issues and labor shortages work.

Google saw similar brand value growth of 38% to $263.4 billion. The brand's revenue is largely dependent on advertising and was hit early in the pandemic as advertising spending plummeted due to uncertainty. However, as the world adjusted to the new normal and people spent more and more time online, advertising budgets reopened and Google's business rebounded, leading to a lasting increase in the value of the brand.

AMERICAN AND CHINESE BRANDS STILL DOMINATE

Breaking down results by geography, US and Chinese brands continue to dominate the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 ranking. % (3.9 trillion USD) and China 19% of these values ​​(1.6 trillion USD).

Behind Germany (25 brands) and Japan (31 brands), France – 5th, in consolidation of the value of its brands – with 28 brands is experiencing growth of 1.7% (293 billion USD), without however recovering its pre-pandemic level. Thus, the growth of French brands is lower than its peers (5 French brands will leave the Global 500 ranking in 2022) even if France retains its rank, ahead of the United Kingdom.

It should be noted that India has experienced the fastest growth (+42%) since the start of the pandemic.

TECHNOLOGY REMAINS THE MOST VALUED INDUSTRY

The technology sector is once again the most valuable in the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 ranking, with a cumulative brand value of almost 1.3 trillion USD. Technology and tech brands have become increasingly important in the modern world, a trend that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 50 tech brands feature in the ranking. However, the industry's brand value is largely driven by three big leaders, Apple, Microsoft (brand value $184.2 billion) and Samsung Group (brand value $107.3 billion) alone representing more than 50% of the total value of brands in the sector.

Right behind them, Huawei managed to regain its place among the top 10 most valuable brands in the world, with growth of 29% to 71.2 billion USD. Huawei's smartphone business was hit hard by US sanctions, but it responded positively by sharply increasing investment in domestic tech companies and R&D, as well as focusing on cloud services.

RETAIL CONTINUES TO PROSPER

The retail sector consolidated its second place in terms of valuation in the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 ranking, crossing the USD 1 trillion mark for the first time.

Before the pandemic, retail was the third most valued sector behind banking, but a boom in e-commerce has seen it break away while developments in the banking sector have remained stagnant. During the pandemic, retail is the fastest growing sector according to the Brand Finance Global 500 ranking, with an increase in the consolidated value of brands in the sector of 46%, more dynamic than technology and media which increased by 42% and 33% respectively.

This year, one of the most successful brands, Walmart, continued to see its value grow and regained its place in the top 5, with the retailer rising from 6th to 5th place after a 20% increase in its value to 111.9 billion USD.

Retail saw the highest number of new entrants to the rankings this year with nine brands, meaning nearly one in four new entrants came from this sector. The majority of new retail brands are supermarkets, many of which have adapted to the new normal by making themselves more accessible through online shopping and click and collect. Germany's Edeka is the highest ranked of the nine, entering the rankings at #340 with a brand value of $6.5 billion.

For Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director of Brand Finance France:

"Many thought at the start of the pandemic that the lockdowns would hit the distribution sector hard, but the companies that have been able to show agility in adapting to the situation, in particular by using the technology at their disposal, have impressed by their solid growth. Transforming the industry to meet changing customer needs has sown the seeds of both short- and long-term prosperity. »

PHARMACEUTICAL BRANDS ARE EXPERIENCING HEALTHY GROWTH

Pharmaceutical brands have been in the spotlight since the start of the pandemic as the world turns to them for COVID-19 testing and vaccines. As a result, and unsurprisingly, the sector has grown faster than any other sector within our ranking over the past two years. The number of pharmaceutical brands in the ranking doubled from four to eight. At the same time, the consolidated value of brands increased by 94% to reach 54.0 billion USD.

All eight brands in our ranking are more valuable than they were in 2020, with those that produced COVID-19 vaccines seeing the biggest increases. Johnson & Johnson remains the most valuable, with a 24% increase in brand value to $13.4 billion. Ranking newcomer AstraZeneca secured the fastest growth in the industry, with a significant 77% increase in brand value to $5.6 billion, followed by Pfizer with the second fastest growth at 58 %, bringing its brand value to $6.3 billion.

For Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director of Brand Finance France:

“Producing effective vaccines has been essential to getting the global economy back on its feet. As the injections were performed, the world was able to return to some semblance of normalcy. This has led to not only increased revenue but also improved brand awareness and global reputation in the industry. »

TOURISM BRANDS SHOW SIGNS OF RECOVERY

The brand value of the tourism sector as a whole is still down from pre-pandemic valuations, penalized by the number of brands exiting the Brand Finance Global 500 2022 ranking, falling from 15 to 9. However, there is a sign promising for recovery, as all of the industry brands appearing in this year's rankings experienced positive brand value growth.

The hotel sector recorded a level of rapid growth in 2022, like the two brands in the ranking, Hilton (up 58% to 12.0 billion USD) and Hyatt (up 26% to 5.9 billion USD), now having more value than they did before the pandemic. With the relaxation of confinement rules, the sector was stimulated by an increase in leisure stays and trips, and to a lesser extent the partial return of business trips. At the same time, the two companies mentioned continued to invest in their brands, Hyatt finalizing the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group and Hilton opening 96 hotels in the third quarter of 2021.

Airline brands Delta ($7.3 billion), American Airlines ($6.3 billion), United Airlines ($5.5 billion), Emirates ($5.0 billion) and newcomer Southwest Airlines (4 USD .9 billion) have all seen their value increase, due to the increase in international and domestic travel, although none of them have yet recovered to their pre-pandemic levels. The same goes for the online reservation platform booking.com (8.7 billion USD) and the car rental company Enterprise (7.1 billion USD).

For Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director of Brand Finance France:

“This is a promising sign of recovery for the tourism sector despite the intermittent restrictions still in place across the world. The rebound has undoubtedly been hampered by the variants, however, as the world adjusts to life with COVID-19, there's no reason the tourism industry can't get back on its feet . »

WECHAT RETAINS THE TITLE OF THE STRONGEST BRAND IN THE WORLD.

Besides calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard that assesses marketing investment, brand image with stakeholders, and sales performance. Certified to ISO 20671, Brand Finance's stakeholder branding assessment incorporates original market research data from approximately 100,000 respondents in more than 35 countries and nearly 30 industries. By these criteria, WeChat remains the strongest brand in the world, retaining its title for the second consecutive year, with a Brand Strength score of 93.3 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA+ rating.

WeChat is an integral part of everyday life in China, with its full suite of services enabling its customers to message, video call, order food and make purchases. It has also played a vital role in China's fight against COVID-19, with more than 700 million people using its services to book vaccinations and tests. The app's rootedness in Chinese people's lives helps it achieve strong reputation and consideration scores with consumers, according to field research by Brand Finance.

WeChat is joined at the top of the Brand Strength ranking by a number of other media players, in line with the trend seen in the brand value ranking. Four of the top five brands in the ranking are now from the media sector, compared to just two before the start of the pandemic. The supremacy of media brands in this Brand Strength ranking signals a shift in the brand landscape and reflects the growing importance of this sector in everyday life.

Google is closing in on WeChat in the rankings, rising from 39th to 3rd place with an impressive Brand Strength score of 93.3, closely followed by its Alphabet partner YouTube, which rose from 27th to 4th place with a Brand Strength score of 93.2. South Korean brand Naver rounds out the media brands in the top 5, jumping from 99th place to 5th place with a score of 92.5.

BRAND GUARDIANSHIP INDEX 2022

The Brand Finance Brand Guardianship Index has been expanded and now ranks the top 250 CEOs in the world based on their brand stewardship. The best brand manager this year is Microsoft's Satya Nadella. Mr. Nadella, who also became president of the company this year, is rewarded for the revolution he has made within Microsoft by transforming its culture towards one of teamwork, innovation and inclusiveness, while instilling a growth mindset in all the company's entities.

The top 10 ranking is dominated by brand managers from the technology and media sectors. Tim Cook takes a well-deserved 2nd place after overseeing a banner year for Apple. Mr. Cook is notably accompanied by Huateng Ma from Tencent (4th), Sundar Pichai from Google (5th) and Reed Hastings from Netflix (7th).

Bertrand Chovet, Managing Director of Brand Finance France comments:

“Ultimately, the role of a brand manager is to create value for the brand and the company. Our ranking recognizes those who create business value in a sustainable way, balancing the needs of all stakeholders – employees, investors and the wider business. Now CEOs ranked in the Brand Guardianship Index must work more in partnership to build a sustainable future for their company, redefining the role of the CEO from ultra-competitive entrepreneur to collaborative diplomat. »

AMD CEO Lisa Su is a new entrant at #10 in the rankings, making her the highest-ranked woman in the 2022 Brand Guardianship Index. most being led by male CEOs. This is reflected in the rankings, with only five female CEOs in the top 100. With diversity and inclusion becoming increasingly important to society as a whole, we hope to see rapid growth in female leadership and an increase in business executives in our future rankings.