Apple holds onto spot at most valuable brand
Facebook, Apple and Amazon saw the biggest jumps in brand value on a list of this year's most valuable brands and it is no coincidence that each is a leader in its respective sector when it comes to mobile innovation.
Amazon landed in the top 10 for the first time with a brand value of more than $29 billion, according to Interbrand’s 16th annual Best Global Brands report, and an increase of 29 percent in brand value. Apple held onto the top spot on the report and saw its brand value growth accelerate 43 percent this year, while Facebook, in the number 23 spot, saw its brand value grow by 54 percent.
Tech companies dominate
Apple recovered this year from earlier suggestions that it had lost some of its innovative edge with a strong reception to Apple Pay, iOS 9 and the new iPhone 6S. While the Apple Watch may not have been the homerun that some expected, it is still contributing to Apple’s image as a leader among technology companies and making it the most valuable brand on the ranking.
In the number two spot once again is Google, which saw its brand value grow 12 percent.
Overall, tech brands comprised 33.6 percent of the entire ranking’s value.
Facebook has also had a strong year with the introduction of 360 video, a bigger push into mobile commerce, a series of mobile ad innovations and the launch of a breaking news app, among other developments that are ensuring its role as a social media giant.
Everyday integration
In the retail sector, Amazon continues to break new ground in mobile commerce as one of the first retailers to embrace Apple’s new universal links, a bigger push into same-day delivery and continued expansion of its Prime service.
Also in the retail sector, eBay dropped four spots and lost 3 percent of its brand value.
The company spun off its PayPal digital and mobile payments division this year, with PayPal landing on the ranking in its first year as an independent company in number 97 spot.
Per Interbrand, the most valuable brands going forward will be those that use technology to support products and services that align and integrate into consumers’ everyday lives. This requires taking the time to empathize with consumers’ priorities and finding ways to meet them wherever they are and when they want.
Immediate experiences
Interbrand considers a brands financial performance, its ability to command a premium price without the need to rely on price promotion as well as its ability to include consumer selection at the moment of purchase when determining brand value.
Rounding out the top five most value brands, following Apple and Google, are Coca-Cola, up 4 percent, Microsoft, up 11 percent, and IBM, up 10 percent.
Consumers are looking for immediate, personalized and tailored experiences, which mobile can help them achieve.
Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York