Growth has taken on a new form in the Age of You. As new dynamics emerge and change
the shape of business by the minute, it demands new ways for organizations to harness
and channel that change.
But the world’s leading brands aren’t waiting for change to happen—they’re acting rather
than reacting, growing rather than maintaining, and mastering Growth in a Changing World.
With so many directions to grow in, flexibility and adaptability are key. Businesses must
be ready to change their trajectories along with people and markets: embracing emerging
technologies, leaping engagement barriers, and rethinking their growth strategies—
breaking things down to start them up again. They must be be ready to grow, change,
and grow all over again.
To meet these challenges, organizations need to make brands the center of gravity—the
closer you get, the faster you grow.
Brands are what connects businesses to people inside and out, creating real proximity
by understanding what people want and what they believe in. Brands are what personalize
technology so that it becomes a means for authentic engagement and unforgettable
experiences. Brands are the constancy that accelerates business growth—moving at the
speed of life, reflecting how people want to grow, growing along with them, and standing out
in a shifting landscape.
Brands are
the constancy
that accelerate
business growth.
Grow.
Change.
Grow.
3
Growth is fundamental to life. It is an
inherent part of being human. So is change.
Over the last two decades, our lives
have been transformed in remarkable
new ways. These shifts in behavior,
expectations, and experiences provide
incredible opportunities for business
growth, but keeping up with them poses
new challenges. One of the most critical
ways to turn change into growth is by
building and constantly developing a
strong brand.
Brands are how we form opinions and
find meaning in a business. They embody
purpose and values, help human beings
understand a business on a deeper level,
and ensure businesses act in line with
people’s expectations. Consumers use
this understanding to make better choices,
demonstrate loyalty, and determine value.
Brands are a human construct, and are at
the heart of any successful business.
This is as true internally as it is externally.
Brands start with humans on the inside
and are ultimately delivered to humans on
the outside, using technology as a primary
means of interaction and a powerful platform
for engagement. At a time when speed to
market, customer centricity, and cultural
alignment are more important than ever,
brands are the key to change, and to growth.
Purpose that moves people
If brands start and end with people, it’s
important to acknowledge a significant
generational shift in the way people interact
with, and what they demand from, brands.
Both as employees and customers,
younger generations have very different
views about the brands they choose. They
expect a brand’s purpose and values to
align with them, and their desires for better
communities and a better world.
Jez Frampton
Global CEO, Interbrand
Growth in a
changing world
60% of millennials
seek employers with
a clear
66% of consumers
claim to be willing
to pay more for
products from more
socially responsible
4
It’s important to be clear about the nature
of purpose. It’s the organization’s reason
for existing: its most fundamental beliefs
and highest-order aims. It isn’t just
about repackaging a Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) strategy. Brands with
strong sense of purpose draw people in,
aligning people inside the organization
while driving momentum outside of it.
Breaking silos within the organization by
freeing up communication across the
business helps organizations operate
at the speed of life. A strong, clear
brand purpose helps a business change
successfully by ensuring everyone moves
in the same direction at the same speed.
Technology that
accelerates growth
The acceleration of technology impacts
every part of a business. From automated
production to self-driving delivery vehicles,
from programmatic media buying to the
rise of AI in shaping customer interactions.
And new models are emerging that help
companies understand how and where to
invest to ensure brand-driven business profits.
More importantly, technology is changing
people’s behaviors and expectations faster
than we can create and innovate. So how
do brands play into this evolving dynamic
as the gap between desire and fulfillment
diminishes? This is where technology plays
a pivotal role. It can be used to create a
detailed image of customers, bringing
brands closer to people every day. When
technology is fully integrated with the brand,
it can shrink the desire-fulfillment gap, fast.
The challenge is creating a truly branded
experience. While technology offers
proximity, engagement is not a given. Merely
implementing the latest technology without
the brand as a filter misses the opportunity
to create a powerful bond between people
and business.
And while innovation is crucial, it doesn’t
necessarily put a business ahead in the
market—it may simply keep it on par. Any
company, from digital native to established
organization, that puts technology first and
brand second isn’t likely to sustain growth.
While people may enjoy the experience,
they aren’t necessarily connecting with the
company on the deeper level that contributes
to building long-term loyalty. Brands humanize
technology, making it meaningful by yielding
experiences that create lasting value.
Brands are the synergy
between people,
technology, and business
Since brands are the mechanism by which
people relate to businesses, they play a
powerful role in creating deep and valuable
connections to the businesses via technology.
Placing the brand at the center of the
business agenda smooths the tension
between technology and people, giving rise
to a new type of synergy that’s essential to all
sides of the business: on the inside, brands
align culture and capabilities for growth,
directing innovation and resource allocation;
on the outside, brands provide a platform to
deliver a unique and valued experience that
reflects not just what people want, but what
they believe in.
For Best Global Brands 2015, we highlighted
the coming wave of personalized technology
marked by The Age of You. In this age, we
operate for the individual, using data and
technology to offer products and services,
communication, environments—in fact,
the entire customer experience—tailored
to individual needs. The next great challenge
for brands is the ability to automate these
complex moving parts, without losing the
personality and humanity that’s characteristic
of the greatest brands.
84% of executives
believe a shared
purpose contributes
to successful change
and
5
In conclusion
The only constant is change, and we
are living in one of the most exciting
periods of change since the Industrial
Revolution. The changes we are observing
are societal, attitudinal, technological,
economic, industrial, and impact every
aspect of commerce and life. Within this
ever-shifting context, growth becomes
ever more challenging. Businesses need
a medium that clearly communicates
purpose and energizes cultures, a
platform upon which to create engaging
and unique experiences, a means to stay
relevant, meaningful, and valued. In this
changing world, businesses need brands
more than ever.
B
u
si
n
e
ss
G
ro
w
th
People
Brand
Technology
Brands: are a business strategy brought
to life, and are the primary means for
differentiation and growth.
People: brands are about people and
how they connect to the purpose of a
business.
Technology: helps accelerate growth
and customer proximity, but only
through brands can it deliver meaningful
engagement.
The closer to brands,
the greater the growth
1
2
3
So, for future Growth in a Changing World:
1 Deloitte 2015 - Unlocking Millennial Talent
2 Nielsen 2015 - The Sustainability Imperative
3 Harvard Business Review 2015 - The Business Case for Purpose
People: From
culture to
customer
Brands start and end with people.
So it’s important to acknowledge a
significant shift in the way people
interact with brands—they expect
to connect to an authentic purpose
and values. Brands with strong
sense of purpose draw people
in—they align people inside
the organization, while driving
momentum outside of it.
8
People within an organization are the fuel
for growth—they’re the innovators and
doers, the passion and energy. To harness
this, however, it’s vital to acknowledge
that people change too, which means
organizations must evolve their thinking
along with them. Being attuned and
attentive to people is how an organization
successfully aligns with, attracts, and
retains both talent and customers.
Major cultural shifts impact the way
people think on a macro scale—especially
Growth from
the inside out
Brands start on the
inside with humans,
and are ultimately
delivered on the
outside to humans.
younger generations—and these attitudes
trickle into organizations. Understanding
the forces behind their motivations and
desires is key to shifting the thinking of an
organization.
From profit to purpose
An evolution in thinking has given rise
to a mass movement towards greater
purpose and more deeply held values.
We’re focused on a better future,
constant learning, and a holistic quality
The world is changing, and we need to adapt
urbanization
changing
demographics
climate change
learning vs. doing
millennial workforce
hyper-connectivity/
technology
quality of life/
wellness
desire for more
flexibility, less process
hard to change &
adapt due to
over-engineered
processespersonalized
development:
coach and manager quality, pride, and
innovation at risk
mobility/career
development
freelance
vs. full time
macrotrends implications
world work
era of purpose and
values (why, not what)
employees
lack of trust in
formal hierarchy
culture
9
value customer experiences. Business
growth relies on satisfied customers and
great experiences are driven by satisfied
employees.
The working future
Today, more employees are motivated
by passion than career ambition. This
demands that leadership focus on
making the work environment diverse,
compelling, and rewarding.
Flexibility
People are thinking outside of the “three
boxes of life” (education, job, retirement),
which means a more flexible approach to
work. It’s what has given rise to the gig
economy. In order to attract and retain
employees, companies are empowering
individuals to live, learn, and work when
and how they want.
Diversity
Diversity is about inclusion of people
from all racial, cultural, learning, and
economic backgrounds, elevating skills
that were previously ignored to infuse an
organization with unique ideas and new
ways of working. This challenges the
way companies recruit, mentor, and train,
and will render one-size-fits-all success
metrics obsolete.
of life. On a personal level, people are
looking for places to put their trust, to
affirm their values, and to create change
within their own lives and in the world.
This is where companies must step up
and prove that they, like their customers
and employees, stand for something.
Brands with a
purpose set on
improving our quality
of life outperform
the stock market
by 120%.2
People will begin to shift away from
companies that are solely focused on the
bottom line. They will turn their attention
towards companies that align with their
values and assert a purpose that’s
better than profit, which in turn impacts
performance.
Cultivating culture
Culture is living and breathing; it takes
active cultivation. It’s not solely an HR
initiative nor a marketing ploy. It’s a
way of doing and being. Culture is the
responsibility of everyone inside the
organization, but leaders have a critical
role in initiating change and embodying
cultural values. To do that, they must
initiate key culture changes that reflect
shifts in culture at large.
Customer service, innovation, and
creativity are intangible measures
that a strong company culture fosters
and supports. Whether on the sales
floor or behind the scenes, employee
engagement is key to generating high-
The five key culture shifts
employee partners
job experience
engagement partners
leaders coaches
values behaviors
74% were satisfied
with their jobs if
they felt their work
was meaningful
to themselves, the
company, and the
10
Self-development
People want to be learning and growing
throughout their lives. They’re focused
on healthier, holistic lifestyles and self-
realization. Work is a huge part of that
personal development. Managers must
become coaches and mentors and give
employees the agency to try and fail, learn
and grow, create and innovate.
People fuel the growth of your business.
Whether it’s giving employees the
creative freedom to innovate or listening
to customers to create more impactful
experiences, “How will this affect real
people?” should be the first and last
question an organization asks.
Only 14% of
customers defect
because of product
quality. 68% of
defections occur
because of staff
2 Havas Media Group 2015 - Havas’ Meaningful Brands study
3 White House Office of Consumer Affairs - TARP
1 LinkedIn Purpose at Work - 2016 Global Report
11
The empathy in analytics
While marketers tend to focus on
measurement and act on the functional,
the emotional component is crucial, both
in gathering insights and putting them
to work for the business. Exercising
empathy builds understanding on one
side, and trust on the other.
In the Age of You1, customer centricity
is still king. It’s not enough to talk about
customers and their needs. It’s talking
to and with them that’s the key. Putting
customers at the heart of the business
requires going deeper and getting closer.
To be customer centric is to be customer
proximate.
Analytics can get companies closer
to customers, but in a changing
world, the way people interact with
brands is far more fragmented—
sources of information are scattered
and proliferating. Analysts have to be
more creative in the ways they collect
information, and how that information
is aggregated into actionable insights.
Data gathering—when done right—
can provide real, human insights that
build authenticity, relevance, and
engagement—all characteristics of a
strong brand that drives growth.
People don’t want to be data points.
They want to be listened and catered to
as human beings. Building empathy into
analysis requires active listening. Data
gathering should be approached as a
collaborative activity, with the goal of
creating better and richer experiences.
Authentic interactions will build trust in
the brand. People can tell when they’re
being listened to and when they’re not.
Empathy requires thinking about how
the interaction will ultimately benefit
the individuals you’re talking to. It’s
this deeper understanding that drives
relevance to real people—not just
“customer segments”—which comes
through in the brand’s experiences.
From experience to
mutual engagement
Understanding the experience from a
customer perspective, rather than from
the business or brand perspective, is
Calculating
customer proximity
74% of companies
that over-perform
on revenue growth
create customer
experiences based on
data-driven
12
the first step to building engagement.
Experiences that are 100% customer-
led return to the brand in the form of
engagement and loyalty. They foster
deeper relationships.
Relationships take work. Growing
brands are looking to strengthen and
deepen the relationships they’ve formed
with customers. They’re identifying
methods for measuring the performance
of their engagement strategies, and
developing ways of using measurement
to continue optimizing their experiences.
This constant vetting of the brand’s
experiences is necessary to stay relevant
and in line with expectations. A proactive
approach to engagement requires that
organizations keep checking in with
customers and measure their expectations
against the brand and business strategy.
70% of buying
experiences are
based on how
customers feel they
are being
3 Mckinsey 2006 - The moment of truth in customer service
2 The Advertising Research Foundation 2015 - Insights2020
1 methodologies for
more human insights
With fragmenting touchpoints, media
interactions, and various social signals,
brands have to be more creative in
the way they gather information. This
means using multiple and alternative
research tools and techniques, because
people are complex—no single-track
approach will capture the nuances
brands need. Crowdsourcing, social
media watching, and Market Research
Online Communities (MROCS) are rising
research methods that tap into people’s
natural and evolving behaviors. It’s
about being everywhere the customer is.
Insights come from many channels and
tell a more holistic story when combined.
Proximity on purpose
Big data has a part to play in telling the
story about how people interact with
the brand—but it can’t be the only part.
Efforts to reach the customer should
be authentic and reaffirm the brand’s
purpose and values. These should
extend from the ways they gather
information, to the experiences
they create. When brands are
engaging and empathetic in the way
they approach people, it impacts how
they ultimately incorporate and give
voice to the customer, and forges a
relationship that will withstand change.
13
The world is changing, and so must
brands. But if there’s no anchor at
the heart of a brand, change can’t be
sustained and can even be chaotic.
At a time when a clear vision and an
authentic purpose are critical to every
organization, the values underpinning
that purpose are what help hold it
steady, and become the bones that
prevent its collapse.
Purpose is an organization’s reason for
existing: its most fundamental beliefs
Shared values,
shared purpose
84% of executives
believe an organization
with a shared purpose
will be more successful
in
and highest-order aims. A strong
sense of purpose draws people into an
organization and aligns them inside of
it while driving momentum outside of it.
Purpose is built on values, and values
are the foundation of everything the
organization does.
Values connect people to people, and
customers to brands. When people and
brands align on a deeper level it creates
a synergy that allows them to change
and grow together.
Change on purpose
Change for the sake of change can
weaken a brand. True agility means
flexing with purpose. Such agility
can only be achieved by defining and
codifying that which the organization
stands for—it cannot be a boardroom
exercise that pumps out a generic
statement that may interpreted as
superficial and unfounded.
Authenticity is the litmus test for
credibility and relevance. It resides
in a company’s heritage regardless
of age. The challenge is to find that
source. Some of the perennial Best
Global Brands have evolved over
decades based on core values that
are embedded in their brands and
businesses. It’s not about getting stuck
in the past. Messaging can evolve and
business strategy can change. Far from
abandoning values, exercising agility
means reaffirming them inside and out.
Values are the DNA of
an organization
Values are enduring and shape
the essence of a brand
Values govern how you behave
and build affinity
Values characterize the
corporate ethos
1
2
3
4
14
An organization’s culture offers a
compelling view of the resiliency of
the company’s values. Employees
are the first line of defense and the
front lines of conviction—engagement
scores and performance metrics will
measure the resiliency of values and
efficacy of purpose. In the market, these
ideals must be constantly understood,
expressed, and measured through
the brand. There has to be a constant
checking-in between the organization
and the customer for that connection to
remain relevant.
Sustaining relationships
The relationships that exist between
customers and brands have evolved to
become more intimate and transparent.
People have greater access to brands,
and more power to measure the quality
of their experiences with them. This is an
equalizing force, putting accountability in
the hands of customers, and customers-
to-be. People understand when brands
deviate from their values, and have the
power to withhold loyalty—and dollars—
when they do.
A brand’s experiences should be driven
by a set of behaviors that are part of
the organization. Authenticity is about
the promises that you make and the
experiences that you create. Consistently
delivering on that promise sustains the
bonds between customers and brands.
From values to growth
Brands that stand as the embodiment
of purpose and values are a magnetic
force, keeping existing customers close
and drawing new ones into the fold. Like
things attract. Shared values bring people
and brands together, both internally and
externally.
When values manifest in a clearly
communicated purpose, it becomes the
engine driving the organization. Purpose
is the connection to the past, the reason
for being, and the roadmap to the future.
It keeps people connected to the human
side of the business, willing to trust its
interests, and contribute to its growth.
83% of companies
that overperform on
revenue growth link
everything they do
to brand purpose, as
opposed to only 31%
of under
82% of employees
and executives have
more confidence
in companies with
a strong sense of
3 Deloitte 2014 - Core Beliefs & Culture Survey
2 The Advertising Research Foundation 2015 - Insights2020
1 Harvard Business Review & EY 2015 - The business case for purpose
Technology:
From proximity
to connection
The acceleration of technology is
impacting every part of business
growth. It’s changing people’s
behaviors and expectations faster
than most businesses can create
and innovate. But technology’s
pivotal role in this evolving dynamic
is to create a detailed image of
customers, bringing brands closer
to people.
17
Brands don’t move at a single speed. New,
technology-centric brands like Interbrand’s
Breakthrough Brands—unencumbered by
legacy processes and free to reinvent how
they do things in the Age of You—can build
up their businesses and brands at head-
turning rates. Chinese rideshare brand
Didi Chuxing, Indian online marketplace
Flipkart, and US e-commerce and
payments provider Square have reached
valuations of 50 $b USD, 11 $b USD, and
6 $b USD respectively. What do they have
in common? They’re all forward-thinking,
digital-first companies that have worked
just as hard to establish their brands as
they have their new technologies.
The key insight is that being an agile
innovator is not enough. There are
plenty of companies creating incredible
technology and breaking down
paradigms that go nowhere.
This is where companies with
established brands have a massive
advantage. They have already done the
Building brands
at lightning speed
hardest work: their brands are strong,
recognized, even beloved. It’s the
internal structure and capabilities that
need to be boosted.
There are a few ways to build the
technical capability of a company to
expand its brand. Integrated systems
Without a strong
brand as an interface
between your
incredibly fast-moving
company and your
actual customers, it’s
difficult to make real
impact in the market.
and collaborative tools that provide
seamless communication should be a
given, but are often overlooked. Beyond
that: acquiring, investing in, or partnering
with younger, faster brands is effective. If
you can’t beat them, join them.
Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn,
Walmart’s acquisition of Bonobos, and the
partnership between Target and Casper are
all a testament to the growing popularity of
this strategy. Now, as once-Breakthroughs
reach the Best Global Brand level, they
are even acquiring longer-established
brands (and their clout)—Amazon’s recent
acquisition of Whole Foods being a sign of
what’s to come.
Established brands are also in a
good position to use and create new
technology. While startups can drive
flashpoint innovations with sustained
focus, established brands have the
budget to fund and foster these efforts
at a larger scale. They are able to
truly experiment and put ideas into
18
practice with the resources that smaller
companies just don’t have, to build their
brands faster.
Samsung’s continued investment in VR
and IoT, on display at the Samsung 837
experience space, is an example of a
Best Global Brand that never stops in
its efforts to put the latest technologies
in the hands of real people. Auto brands
like Nissan and Toyota continue to push
boundaries for self-driving and electric
cars, with up-and-comer Tesla setting
the pace. Breakthrough Brand Face++
creates stunning facial recognition
technology, but it took Lenovo to
give them their most well known
use case—allowing users to login to
Lenovo products with their smile alone.
Best Global Brands are enablers of
technology, and when they combine new
capabilities and solutions with a strong
brand platform, it only amplifies their
business growth.
Technology and brand are now indelibly
intertwined. We form opinions on many
brands through the user experience of
their apps alone. Established brands
that get the most attention do so for
technological leaps and innovations, not
just for the latest ad campaign. People
want to try new things that work well,
and when those things impart a stronger
connection or a positive feeling, they are
associated with the brand that supplied
it in the first place. That needs to be the
goal of any brand looking to grow, and
technology can take them there faster
than ever.
Building brands at lightning speed is not
just reserved for startups. No matter how
established or beloved a Best Global
Brand is, continued brand-building is a
must for business growth.
Worldwide spending
on IoT will grow
% in 2017,
reaching more than
$800
1 IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual Internet of Things Spending Guide 2017
19
Brands and people are occupying
more spaces together, both digital and
physical. Technology can create more
opportunities for brands to form deeper
relationships with customers, and
it’s becoming more than just a tool—
technology can embody your brand.
However, if it’s not fully embraced and
the experience is disruptive rather than
immersive, it will only cause alienation in
place of connection.
Don’t let technology
get in the way
The adoption rate
of home voice
assistants grew to
12% in the fourth
quarter of
Voice assistants are a new frontier for
many brands: a chance to literally begin
a conversation with customers and
field questions in real time. However,
assistants run the risk of becoming
intrusive.
A TV ad that triggers a virtual assistant
to deliver a message is a clever exploit
of fresh technology—yet besides being
amusing or surprising, it does little to
build a relationship or provide deeper
benefit. This type of advertising may feel
like a violation—a brand entering the
home without permission over a device
many aren’t completely comfortable
with yet. Users expect to hear from their
assistants on their terms—having that
assistant deliver a message on behalf
of a brand is as jarring as having that
brand’s own voice come through their
speakers. Voice assistants can help
bring brands into users’ lives, but the
message must be meaningful in order to
be well-received.
Voice assistants pose other challenges
along with their opportunities. One is that
each voice assistant has its own brand
persona. Alexa is different from Siri is
different from Bixby is different from
Google Home is different from Cortana.
This leaves very little room for a brand’s
own voice to be heard.
Brands have two choices. One: Create
an assistant of their own, which is fraught
with resource and adoption issues and
is probably only viable for a handful of
businesses. Two: Find a way that existing
voice assistants can make interacting
with that brand and business easier
for users. The second option requires
openness to partner with experts and
stakeholders and to relinquishing total
control of the brand experience. Both
require a mastery of current technology,
and the ability to anticipate consumer
behaviors and needs.
What will successful executions sound
like? They could take many forms.
20
This includes entering a hotel room
and being greeted by a voice assistant
automatically, with a custom itinerary
based on personal interests. Integrations
that allow users to check their account
information, flight status, or tire pressure
with a simple voice command. Syncing
voice assistant information upon
entering a store to deliver directions to
sale items that users are interested in.
There is no shortage of possibilities, but
if the interaction is valuable, positive,
and simplifies our lives, it will reflect well
on the brand enabling it.
Voice assistants are just one timely
example of the disruptive influence
technology can have on brands. The
same will be true for AI, driverless cars,
augmented reality, automation—these
new tools create friction as both users
and brands come to grips with how they
work and the best ways to use them.
Growth brands know that the Age of You
isn’t over, and that simply using these
technologies is not enough to get them
to reach their full potential as brand and
business tools. The brand experience
needs to be a consideration from the
start, and built in to help humans work
with technology in harmony. Technology
that is not translated through a brand can
become a barrier between the business
and its audience. A voice is a powerful
tool, if it carries a relevant message.
Over half of US teens
and 41% of adults
use voice search on
a daily
1 IDC - . Intelligence Assistive Embedded Consumer Devices Forecast
2016-2020
2 Google and Northstar Research Report 2014 - The Mobile Voice Study
Google-The Mobile Voice Study
21
Enabled by technology, branded
experiences are more powerful than ever.
Technology has brought brands further into
people’s lives. But don’t mistake proximity
for engagement. Simply displaying ads on
smartphones and social media or getting a
voice assistant to broadcast your message
isn’t a substitute for a real relationship.
New mediums for marketing such as
VR and AR (the top two1 most-searched
Closeness does not
equal engagement
marketing trends on Google) are in the
hands of more customers each day.
However, according to this survey, despite
the attention each get in the media, the
technology that the majority3 of people
want is mobile payment technology, with
AR being the technology consumers say
they want to use the least.
There are two insights here. One, the
buzz around new technology does not
necessarily align with what customers
really want. Practicality and necessity
come before impressive but less-relevant
technology. Two, it shows that customers
don’t ask for what they can’t imagine
using. AR is an abstract concept—
overlaying digital experiences in the
physical world. However, that’s not to say
that once tangible applications come into
play, it won’t shoot to the top of their wish
lists.
More tech means more places to
communicate, but just because brands
can doesn’t mean they should. The
The virtual reality
software and
hardware market size
is expected to grow
to USD $ billion
by
average adult already spends two hours
and 51 minutes looking at his or her
mobile phone each
Increasingly, people are looking to unplug
and get back to the real world. When
accounting for all the different brands
looking to communicate with them over
proliferating channels, it’s clear why so
many want to unplug. Brands need to
prioritize making their digital marketing
meaningful, useful, and experiential—
otherwise it’s just more noise that
audiences are increasingly tuning out. As
such, they are beginning to see the value
of real, in-person interactions more and
more.
The digitally native generation doesn’t
remember a time without technology
embedded into almost every facet of daily
life. Their understanding and expectations
of technology are different than the
generations before them. They expect
instant responses and an on-demand
22
world. It’s up to brands to keep pace, or
fall behind.
When it comes to the real world, brick-
and-mortar experiences are not the
dead end they were prophesied to be.
They’re becoming part of a cross-digital
“brand ecosystem.” These need to be
strategically engineered around the
user—digital is just part of the equation.
People expect the full package: a great
digital service with tons of capabilities,
bolstered by a convenient physical
location that enhances the online
experience without any interruptions.
As IoT, AI, cloud technology, persona-
building, and data analytics continue
to work together to create surprising
connection and capabilities, the idea
of a brand ecosystem becomes more
relevant. Via a mobile device, we carry
around an instant connection to untold
data about ourselves as we move through
the world. As more and more devices
become connected, brands that want to be
omnipresent will need to form partnerships
with one another to get a complete view
of the customer. For example, as voice
assistants learn more about you and
hospitality brands find more ways to work
with connected technology, it’s in the
interest of both to work together to deliver
a meaningful experience informed by
shared pools of data.
As the world changes and brands grow,
experience will to become paramount.
Brands that use technology in a way
that improves and enables a positive
experience are going to attract the ever-
shifting interests of new customers.
1 in 5 are looking to
disconnect from their
screens and spend
more time in the real
world this
1,3,5 Code-Digital Trends 2017
2 Statista - Virtual Realtiy (VR) Statistics & Facts
4 Comscore - Mobile Matures as the Cross - Platform Era Emerges
Brand:
From integration
to acceleration
Brands are how people understand
a business on a deeper level.
We use them to make better choices,
demonstrate loyalty, and determine
value. But a brand’s ultimate role is
to accelerate business growth.
At a time when speed to market,
customer centricity, and cultural
alignment are vital, brands are the
key to focused change.
25
Of the many shared characteristics
across the Best Global Brands, for those
that are mastering Growth in a Changing
World, the elevated role of design in the
enterprise is fundamental.
When design is brought up in the
context of brand, it’s often assumed
Design as a force
of integration
that it’s about aesthetic concern. While
aesthetics remain a vital part of a brand,
it cannot be isolated to what’s visible—it
must be internalized by the organization
and harnessed as a force for change
and improvement.
As brands are experienced in micro
moments in the hyper-fragmented
Age of You, design can be a powerful
force for unifying a brand’s experiences.
It can make an instant impression
and link moments in a way that’s both
memorable and meaningful. Design
ensures that every aspect of an
organization’s brand is aligned, with
little, if any, distinction between an
organization’s business strategy and
its customer experience.
With increasingly complex organizational
demands, design becomes a force of
integration. The fundamental advantages
of having design hardwired into the
organization bolsters the strength of the
brand in key ways:
41% of design-led
organizations report
higher market share.
70% report having
a stronger or best-
in-class digital
One is focus. Excellent design delivers
both a coherent customer experience and
an elegant roadmap for future growth.
One is clarity. Design provides a shared
point of view on the ideal customer
experience, allowing everyone in the
organization to know how they can each
impact that experience.
One is speed. Design can be harnessed
to breed efficiency. Macro design
principles can quickly become micro
applications.
One is flexibility. Embedding design
methodologies into the organization
allows teams to reinvent processes that
adjust to different contexts.
Design for the outside in
and the inside out
At a time of hyper-personalization,
organizations must communicate with
26
customers in a non-linear fashion. By
understanding how people live and
interact, organizations can structure
themselves around their customers’
priorities. Design derives power from
its role as mediator—accounting for the
interest of the customer and the desires
of the business equally.
Design for simplification and
humanization
With hyper-fragmentation comes hyper-
complexity. Rapidly shifting technologies
and ever-changing customer demands
create multifaceted, layered challenges
for organizations. Design solves these
complexities by rendering interactions
with technologies and other complex
systems simple, intuitive, and pleasurable
for the organization and the customer.
Design for transformation and
adaptation
Not all traditional organizations are built
to handle continuous transformation.
Fortunately, disruption and design go
hand in hand. When introducing new
ideas, design methodologies—such as
validation and iteration—can help make
the unknown comfortable by making ideas
tangible and easier to socialize internally.
Design for structure and
culture
Becoming a design-led organization
requires both cultural and structural rigor.
For some businesses, how to solve for the
customer—including processes and tools
—may require an overhaul. Design-led
organizations are driven by empowered
employees who are empathetic to their
audiences, and who deliver what people
need, instead of what the job requires.
None of this means that design can’t
be beautiful, but above all, it must be
functional—it should balance beauty and
utility, efficiency and emotion. Purity of
design can’t be at the user’s expense.
More than a lofty and provocative
goal, design is an essential tool for
building strong, agile, customer-centric
organizations.
91% of design-
led companies list
design as critical
to customer
experience.
85% listed design as
a critical component
of
Design is where a
single touchpoint
reflects the entire
business, and where
what’s left out is as
considered as what
stays in. Where the
customer and the
experience are one.
1 “Design-Led Firms Win the Business Advantage” a commissioned
study conducted by Forrester on behalf of Adobe, 2016.
27
While it’s hard for businesses to keep
up with constant change, the most
significant toll is on its people. When
market forces shift and businesses have
to pivot, it can often bring more stress for
everyone within the organization. Change
is now coming so fast, so often, that a
new wave begins before people have had
a chance to recover from the last.
With these evolving market conditions
driving new ideas, experiences, and
models for growth, any external changes
made by a company will struggle to
gain a foothold if internal teams are not
informed, engaged, motivated, or fully
equipped with the right capabilities to
create change and grow along with the
organization. Especially given that change
is not always immediately perceived
as positive.
Change is what helps create new
and engaging customer experiences,
but without engaged and invested
employees, this is impossible to
The capabilities
for change
deliver. Organizations cannot afford
to leave their people behind. And it
takes much more than a declaration or
reassurance from leadership. Change
must be institutionalized. Flexibility,
reinvention, and reorientation must be
50% of US workers
have been affected
by organizational
changes in the last
year, are currently
being affected,
or expect to be
affected in the
coming
second-nature—an inbuilt reflex, without
a second thought. This will align the
business ambitions with the evolving
market conditions, and prime the
organization for growth inside out and
outside in.
This is where brand plays a key role.
Not only is a brand the ideal vehicle for
highlighting an organization’s ambition
and purpose in a way that’s human
and engaging, it also plays the role
of integrator. Brands are increasingly
deployed to bridge gaps across
organizations, which are increasingly
global, multidisciplinary, and siloed. The
brand can bring coherence to varied
customer experiences and touchpoints,
and help companies leverage best
practices and competencies from all
corners of the organization.
With every change, it’s important then
for the brand to ensure that platforms,
processes, and people are aligned.
28
Platforms
To communicate this brand message
consistently across time zones and
language barriers, strong, centralized
platforms are paramount. These can
come in the form of: a fully-integrated
brand portal; effective internal
communication apps and services that
reach people where they are without
distracting them; reliable, intuitive
databases and other technologies that
share knowledge and drive business
strategy forward. These platforms are
essential to lowering the inevitable
friction of working in an ever-more hectic
and global marketplace.
Processes
However, the best platforms in the world
are nothing without efficient processes
built in that empower employees rather
importantly, investing in people with
the right training, skills, and behaviors.
For an organization to be primed for
change, people need to know that
the organization will equip them with
everything they need to drive that
change, and will provide rewards in
the form of personal development.
To achieve growth in the modern
marketplace, this bottom-up approach is
essential. Systems are important, but it’s
predominantly about people.
Strategy, culture, and technology are
all beholden to real individuals. Not
just inside the company, but outside of
it as well. The core of this idea is truly
intuitive: A brand is made by people, for
people. Change is constant because
customers are always changing, so for a
brand to keep up with them, its people
must be able to move just as fast.
than pile on bureaucratic tedium and
slow them down. When used correctly,
they should lower barriers while
ensuring that all brand communications
are consistent, that responsibilities are
clearly delineated, and that all brand
activities point towards a broader
strategy. Processes can help impart
a broader culture of experimentation,
giving people the leeway to try and fail
so that they can imagine new ways to
grow.
People
Building processes goes hand-in-hand
with empowering people to embrace
and lead change. This requires bringing
people along on the journey, providing
clarity on the destination, and most
The most engaging,
cohesive customer
experiences are
driven by high
performing brand
and marketing
organizations.
1 APA 2017 Work and Well-Being Survey
operational
capabilities
operational
blueprint
people
inspire and motivate
process
educate and collaborate
platforms
create and activate
support, consult, administer
insight and measurement
29
Businesses today have an overwhelming
amount of data available to them, but
data analysis often occurs in the rear-
view mirror. Cumbersome data collection
and analysis is not fast enough to
respond to changes that brands need to
make closer to real time.
In order to grow, companies need to
move to a more predictive model of
brand analysis. Amid constant change,
they need to measure the data attributes
indicative of what will truly drive
business impact. It’s the only way to
move at the speed required to be ahead
of the competition.
A strategic model combines brand,
transactional, perceptual, and behavioral
data in order to identify the right
brand activations and drive the best
business outcomes. This combined
data approach outlines the key metrics
of a business’s performance, and
provides a focused view into the micro
indicators driving the macro changes.
Accelerating
what matters
From:
Too much data, but
not enough insight into
how to take action.
To:
A strategic brand
model that helps
make better business
decisions.
This is a statistical model, based on the
10 Brand Strength dimensions (those
used in the Interbrand Best Global
Brands methodology to measure the
performance of a brand) which identifies
the exact perceptual, behavioral, and
transactional data sources underpinning
each dimension.
These leading indicators help identify
the processes, strategies, and behaviors
that can be acted on quickly and directly
to anticipate and affect real change,
while driving demonstrable impact on
business performance.
30
Clarity
Commitment
Governance
Responsiveness
Relevance
Authenticity
Differentiation
Consistency
Presence
Engagement
0 - 10
Internal data such as
employee surveys
Customer data on
needs, desires, and
decision criteria
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
0 - 10
50 being the
competitive
average
0 - 100
Brand
Strength
Score
External brand
tracking data
Customer
understanding and
engagement data
Brand Strength Assessment
31
Data for the real world:
Designed around the customer
We know that delivering superior
customer experiences drives business
growth. However, these experiences are
becoming increasingly challenging to
create as the customer’s journey becomes
more complex.
Reams of data surround the measurement
of the customer experience, which often
creates a fragmented and reactive view.
A connected source of data, one that
provides a holistic view of people, is
needed to keep pace with the speed of
market change and customer demands.
This ensures that data is dynamic and
nimble so that activation can be highly
From:
Disparate data driven
by speed of market
change.
To:
A clear roadmap with
prioritized actions
that impact growth.
targeted. By prioritizing actions that truly
impact growth, the right experiences
will be created and delivered to the right
person, at the right time and place.
Data for the real world:
Designed for brand and
business performance
It is critical for organizations to stay
focused on their long term goals while
reacting to the shifting, test-and-learn
culture of the digital user experience.
Directing focused, daily brand and
business decisions is possible through
a detailed roadmap that identifies both
immediate and long-term impact on
business performance. Such a roadmap
should also clearly model the relationship
between brand metrics and business-
level financial data.
Internally, this helps align different
groups across the organization that
may be responding to customers in
vastly different ways, depending on the
data that’s pushing them for immediate
action. If these units are not led by
a central vision, internal chaos can
occur, which can erode the brand’s
performance and break down the overall
customer experience.
What a strategic model
ultimately provides
1
2
3
A business case to validate
the focus and changes
necessary to drive growth and
improve brand and business
performance.
A strategic roadmap that
enables the right allocation of
money and resources to the
right areas, aligning all business
and brand activities.
A rigorous approach to
overhaul internal processes,
institutionalize change in order
to deliver relevant experiences,
and ensure internal teams have
the right capabilities.
To be truly ready for change, companies
need to optimize the way they look at
data, and not respond haphazardly.
For focused business success,
responses need to be consistent,
dimensionalized, and underpinning
a larger vision. Only with focus can a
business truly accelerate growth.
32
Top
100
33
Top 100 Ranking
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39
40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91
92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
+3%
184,154 $m
+6%
141,703 $m
+10%
79,999 $m
-5%
69,733 $m
+29%
64,796 $m
+9%
56,249 $m
-6%
50,291 $m
+48%
48,188 $m
+10%
47,829 $m
-11%
46,829 $m
+3%
44,208 $m
+5%
41,533 $m
0%
41,521 $m
+5%
40,772 $m
+7%
39,459 $m
+3%
31,930 $m
+3%
27,466 $m
+8%
27,021 $m
-4%
22,919 $m
+3%
22,696 $m
+6%
22,635 $m
+1%
20,491 $m
-10%
20,488 $m
+11%
18,573 $m
+4%
18,472 $m
-9%
18,200 $m
-3%
17,787 $m
+2%
16,416 $m
+7%
16,387 $m
+11%
15,749 $m
+2%
15,375 $m
+11%
14,210 $m
+5%
13,643 $m
+1%
13,224 $m
+5%
13,193 $m
+1%
12,661 $m
+4%
12,471 $m
+2%
12,023 $m
+4%
11,534 $m
+1%
11,522 $m
+2%
11,519 $m
+5%
11,073 $m
-6%
10,972 $m
+16%
10,864 $m
-2%
10,674 $m
+3%
10,599 $m
+1%
10,534 $m
+6%
10,129 $m
+6%
10,059 $m
+6%
9,982 $m
+6%
9,969 $m
-12%
9,788 $m
-8%
9,541 $m
+1%
9,322 $m
+17%
9,216 $m
+19%
9,060 $m
-19%
8,951 $m
+9%
8,947 $m
0%
8,728 $m
+16%
8,704 $m
+2%
8,474 $m
-1%
8,325 $m
+14%
8,205 $m
+1%
7,815 $m
-2%
7,547 $m
+4%
7,100 $m
+5%
7,024 $m
+8%
6,702 $m
+6%
6,681 $m
+14%
6,676 $m
+11%
6,350 $m
+12%
6,255 $m
+7%
6,095 $m
+4%
6,041 $m
-6%
5,983 $m
0%
5,715 $m
+3%
5,671 $m
New
5,592 $m
-9%
5,411 $m
+12%
5,408 $m
-6%
5,394 $m
+3%
5,332 $m
-7%
5,313 $m
New
5,224 $m
+1%
5,181 $m
-4%
5,135 $m
+3%
5,114 $m
New
4,876 $m
-10%
4,868 $m
-6%
4,842 $m
+5%
4,823 $m
-1%
4,783 $m
+6%
4,776 $m
-14%
4,716 $m
-7%
4,587 $m
+2%
4,405 $m
+1%
4,288 $m
0%
4,009 $m
-3%
4,006 $m
-1%
4,004 $m
34
Top
10
35
The Top 10 Brands
hold 42% of the
Best Global Brands
total value.
36
The customer is always first
All of the Best Global Brands make
customers a priority, but the most
successful make it THE priority. Whether
it’s engineering solutions tied directly
to a strong customer understanding,
anticipating what customers want
with forward-thinking design, or just
obsessively working to delight users
at every opportunity—the Best Global
Brands Top 10 make the people they
serve with their brands their first
consideration.
Technology is a growth sector
Half of the ten brands at the top of the
Best Global Brands 2017 list are in the
technology sector—Apple, Google,
Microsoft, Samsung, and Facebook.
Each one of these brands either moved
up on the list or stayed in the same
place, which is a testament to their
continued momentum. Yet all of these
businesses do much more than just
create cool new technology. They have
mastered creating experiences through
technology that reinforce the value of the
brand itself. For all ten brands, nothing
is invented for the sake of it. New
innovations merge seamlessly into an
ecosystem of other experiences, totally
oriented around the brands themselves.
Radical flexibility
Despite strong legacies and investments
in products and business practices that
are renowned the world over, the Best
Global Brands are ready to pivot at any
moment to pursue growth. Nothing is
so essential that it can’t be reinvented.
What was foundational one day can
become outdated the next morning,
but those at the top of the list have
brands strong enough to maintain
their relationships despite fundamental
change. Radical flexibility means that
tech giants can become grocery stores,
food and beverage providers can
become lifestyle brands, car companies
can launch vehicles into orbit, and
phone manufacturers can pioneer
AI. When change is the new normal,
anything is possible.
Hallmarks of the Top 10
Best Global Brands
37
Top 10
01
184,154 $m
02 03
79,999 $m141,703 $m
04
69,733 $m 64,796 $m
05 06
56,249 $m
07
50,291 $m
10
46,829 $m
09
47,829 $m48,188 $m
08
38
Top
Growing
Brands
39
A total of 16 brands
achieved double-digit
percent growth in 2017.
40
Age and offering is irrelevant
While technology is helping create new
brands at lightning speed, growth is not
reserved for the up-and-coming.
The youngest Top Growing Brand, with
the highest growth for the second year
running, is Facebook at 13 years, growing
48% to break into the Top 10 for the first
time. But across all sixteen brands with
double-digit percent growth, ages range—
the most established at 180 years young.
It proves that understanding and embracing
the “Grow, Change, Grow” cycle can create
sustained brand and business growth.
And while technology and financial services
are the most represented sectors, the
brands growing in double-digit percentages
also come from retail, sporting goods,
restaurants, logistics, apparel, luxury,
and automotive.
When it comes to shared characteristics, it’s certainly no coincidence that
the Top Growing Brands this year master Growth in a Changing World. Like
most of the Best Global Brands, the top performers understand the value of
their brands and cultivate them with great care. But they also exhibit some
key characteristics:
Customer and people
obsession
Regardless of whether it’s stated blatantly
by each, Top Growing Brands understand
intrinsically that brands start and end with
people. When it comes to innovation and
development, it’s all deeply customer-
centric, using data and measurement
effectively to ensure strong engagement
and impact growth. Everything they do
is deliberately built around customers’
needs and desires, and delivered through
unique experiences. They also invest in
their people internally—many of the Top
Growing Brands have been recognized for
their culture, workplaces, initiatives, causes,
and dedication to their employees. These
brands understand the power of people,
and that great brands are built
from within.
Clarity and focus
Having a clear strategic mission and a
meaningful purpose is a vital characteristic.
Most Top Growing Brands showed
particular focus in this area, clearly
articulating their ambitions, infusing these
into behaviors and experiences, and
reinforcing them at every opportunity to
all stakeholders—customers, employees,
and shareholders alike—holding each up
to its delivery. These brands understand
the power of an often simply stated
proposition: It is the basis for any serious
roadmap to growth, guiding every initiative
and innovation. Whether they are tagline-
like expressions that can be repeated with
ease, or declarations and manifestos that
demand action, there is no question of the
brand’s highest-order aim.
Hallmarks of the
Top Growing Brands
41
48,188 $m
64,796 $m
+48%
+29%
08
05
Facebook announced, during its F8 2017 conference, three strategic pillars for
the future of the brand: connectivity, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality,
each contributing to Facebook’s mission to cultivate communities and bring
the world closer together.
For 2017, Amazon is prioritizing three growth areas: Amazon Prime, which
continues to attract millions of members; brick-and-mortar stores; and ongoing
logistics innovation to improve service—all with true customer obsession.
13,000
6,500
19,500
45,500
26,000
52,000
32,500
58,500
39,000
65,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
13,000
6,500
19,500
45,500
26,000
52,000
32,500
58,500
39,000
65,000
42
9,060 $m
9,216 $m
+19%
+17%
56
55
Adobe is clearly committed to innovation and leadership in digital media and
digital marketing, with a focus on creativity in business and beyond, to fuel
business growth. This includes personalization, content, advertising, and data
and analytics.
For adidas, 2016 marked the first full year of “Creating the New,” a strategic
plan aimed at accelerating growth by significantly increasing brand desirability,
built around “three strategic choices of Speed, Cities, and Open Source.”
5,200
4,600
5,800
8,200
6,400
8,800
7,000
9,400
7,600
10,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
5,200
4,600
5,800
8,200
6,400
8,800
7,000
9,400
7,600
10,000
43
8,704 $m
10,864 $m
+16%
+16%
60
44
Starbucks’ number one priority is to “restore Starbucks sales to historic growth
levels.” This year, Starbucks announced several strategic actions to optimize
its store portfolio, strengthen its core, and accelerate the execution of its long-
term growth strategy.
In its 2016 Annual Report, Goldman Sachs acknowledged how quickly
expectations and conditions can change, and that by staying true to its
strategic focus, the company can continue to generate industry-leading returns
for shareholders and outperform over the long term.
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
5,000
4,250
5,750
8,750
6,500
9,500
7,250
10,250
8,000
11,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
5,000
4,250
5,750
8,750
6,500
9,500
7,250
10,250
8,000
11,000
44
6,676 $m
8,205 $m
+14%
+14%
70
63
Huawei launched its “All Cloud strategy,” which is focused on network
modernization and aims to enable digital transformation within the enterprise.
New campaigns have been billed under the tagline “Growing Together Through
Digitalization and Building a Better Connected World.”
Morgan Stanley continues to maintain a leading position in the industry,
investing in enhanced digital capabilities to maintain its competitive advantage
and bolstering its internal teams to drive growth.
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
4,500
4,000
5,000
7,000
5,500
7,500
6,000
8,000
6,500
8,500
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
4,500
4,000
5,000
7,000
5,500
7,500
6,000
8,000
6,500
8,500
45
6,255 $m
5,408 $m
+12%
+12%
72
80
FedEx puts “The Purple Promise” and its values—people, service, innovation,
integrity, responsibility, and loyalty—at the center of its brand and customer
efforts. It’s a clear outline of what the company expects from employees and
of its promise to customers.
PayPal is in its second year as an independent, publicly traded company. Its
growth was fueled by a powerful technology platform, innovative products,
trusted brand, and a network of strategic partnerships, which all help PayPal
democratize financial services for people around the world.
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
4,500
4,250
4,750
5,750
5,000
6,000
5,250
6,250
5,500
6,500
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
B
ra
n
d
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
4,500
4,250
4,750
5,750
5,000
6,000
5,250
6,250
5,500
6,500
46
New
Entrants
47
New entrants
78
5,592 $m
84
5,224 $m
88
4,876 $m
The 2017 new entrants span the Media,
Technology, and Automotive sectors.
Game-changing brands Netflix and
make their first-ever
appearance among the Best Global Brands.
48
10 Years
of Growth
49
0 2,000 $b
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
1,872 $b
1,796 $b
1,715 $b
1,600 $b
1,501 $b
1,385 $b
1,258 $b
1,203 $b
1,158 $b
1,214 $b
Total brand value over the last 10 years
has grown by 54%.
In 2017, it grew by %, and individual
brand value by an average of %.
Best Global Brands:
10 years of growth
50
Best Global Brands consistently
outperform in the market, compared to
leading indices such as MSCI. This is
because strong brands can protect a
business in a downturn and boost it in
an upturn—evidence that brands can be
business accelerators in periods of both
rebuilding and growth.
Strong brands accelerate
business growth
51
Top 5
Sectors
52
Over half of the Best
Global Brands are from the
Automotive, Technology,
Financial Services, and
FMCG sectors.
53
The five leading sectors in 2017 range
vastly in number of brands and value—
with a 578,746 $m USD difference
between Technology (15 brands) and
Retail (3 brands), which rises into this
year’s Top 5, knocking out FMCG.
Top 5 sectors
Technology Automotive Financial Services Beverages Retail
S
e
c
to
r
V
a
lu
e
$
m
(
U
S
D
)
100,000
50,000
150,000
350,000
550,000
200,000
400,000
600,000
250,000
450,000
650,000
300,000
500,000
700,000
54
Top Growing
Sectors
55
While the technology sector
dominates, all top growing
brands are translating
technology into experience.
56
Retail
3 Brands
Retail brands are putting convenience
at the core of their experiences: IKEA
(+4%) ramps up city-center pickups;
while eBay (+1%) improves shopping
and discovery, and grows its mobile
offering; and Amazon (+29%) moves
further into the real-world with stores,
logistics centers, and delivery drones—
and they’re using VR and AI to add value
to people’s lives. All are growing based
on a core ethos, whether sticking to
sustainability targets, pricing principles,
or a mission of user-empowerment.
“In a world in which 90% of the
globe’s retail spend still takes
place in bricks-and-mortar spaces,
retailers are beginning to explore
inventive new ways of reconciling
online expectations with the
physical store experience.”
John Michael O’Sullivan
Design Team Leader, HMKM
+% %
$96,493 $m
Sector Growth of the table at
IKEA
eBay
Amazon
57
Sporting Goods
2 Brands
The sports sector has risen on its merits
(and luxury’s slight slip) to become this
year’s #2 Top Growing Sector. Brands
are combining fashion, sports, and
lifestyle to expand and deepen their
reach, and thriving on partnerships with
culture stars and sports icons alike.
They’re also tapping into widely-held
values with innovative eco-offerings
and equality-driven campaigns, while
making leaps with new materials and
technologies.
“In this new and constantly changing
environment, there are new players,
new materials, new technologies,
and new demand: Exclusive designs
can be sold out in a couple of hours
all over the world.”
+% %
36,238 $m
Sector Growth of the table at
adidas
Nike
Beto Almeida
Managing Director, Interbrand São Paulo
58
Technology
15 Brands
At $675,239 million, technology is the most
valuable sector, claiming half of the Top
10—Apple (#1), Google (#2), Microsoft (#3),
Samsung (#6), and Facebook (#8)—and
three of this year’s Top Growing Brands.
Creating connections is driving fast-
risers like Top Growing Brand Facebook
(+48%) and New Entrant .
Leaning on a legacy of innovation, tech
leaders continue to diversify their offerings,
while already-diversified incumbents are
consolidating and pushing further into the
cloud. Across the sector, new partnerships
are popping up with the mutual goal of
simplifying people’s complex digital lives.
“With the shared goal of creating these
truly connected and intelligent user-
first experiences, technology brands
have been forced to diversify their
portfolios. This expansion has resulted
in customers becoming competitors
and competitors becoming partners.”
+% %
675,239 $m
Sector Growth of the table at
Google
Apple
Facebook
Samsung
Microsoft
SAP
Salesforce
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
HPLenovo
Huawei
Adobe
Oracle
Cisco
Intel
Heather Baillie
Senior Director, Interbrand New York
59
Logistics
3 Brands
This fast-shifting sector thrives by
integrating technology into their brands
and leaning hard on their core logistics
missions. Tech-fueled solutions in fleet
management and route optimization
has had the triple benefit of improving
productivity, enhancing customer
service, and slashing CO2 emissions.
But with new non-traditional modes of
delivery, from drones to cargo-sharing,
logistics players will have to lean on
the strength of their traditionally-visible
brands while being open to new growth
partnerships.
“Logistics carriers need to transform
their businesses by closing the
technological gap between
capabilities and customer desires,
and offering smarter and more
sustainable solutions.”
+% %
28,358 $m
Sector Growth of the table at
FedEx
UPS
DHL
Nina Oswald
Managing Director, Interbrand Cologne
60
Financial
Services
12 Brands
The Best Global Brands are making
headway on their paths towards
transformation and building trust, with
Goldman Sachs (+16), Morgan Stanley
(+14), PayPal (+12%), Mastercard
(+11%), and JP Morgan (11%) among
the Top Growing Brands. Even the
largest institutions are super-focused on
individuals, with an evolving message of
helping people live better lives. They’re
treating customers like partners and
partnering for growth, and adopting
technologies that make life easier,
from wearables to robo-advisors to
blockchain. They’re also cultivating
employee engagement, recognizing that
change truly starts from within.
“From payments to insurance, brands
are rallying around inspiring ambitions
to steer the profound transformations
they want to make from the inside out.”
+% %
121,145 $m
Sector Growth of the table at
American
Express
JP Morgan
HSBC
Citi
AXA
Goldman Sachs
Allianz
Morgan
Stanley
Santander
Mastercard
PayPal
Visa
Eryn Murphy
Executive Director, Interbrand Paris
61
Methodology
62
Interbrand valuation
methodology
Financial Forecast
Role of Brand
Brand Strength
Brand
Value
$
B
63
Best Global Brands
methodology
Having pioneered brand valuation
in 1988, Interbrand has a deep
understanding of the impact a strong
brand has on key stakeholder groups that
influence the growth a business—namely
both current and prospective customers,
employees, and investors. Strong brands
influence customer choice and create
loyalty; attract, retain, and motivate
talent; and lower the cost of financing.
Our brand valuation methodology has
been specifically designed to take all of
these factors into account.
A strategic tool for ongoing brand
management, valuation brings together
market, brand, competitor, and financial
data into a single framework within
which the performance of the brand can
be assessed, areas for growth identified,
and the financial impact of investing in
the brand quantified.
For a more in-depth view, visit
Thomas Reuters and company annual
reports
Twitter
Social media analysis by Infegy
Canadean (brand volumes and values)
Financial data Social Media Signal
Consumer goods data
How to work
with us
65
At Interbrand, we’re committed to
helping companies of all shapes and
sizes grow their brands and businesses.
If you’d like to get a conversation
started, here’s a few ways to do so:
Anatomy of Growth Study
Knowing that great brands are built
from within, we’re conducting a
study designed to provide deeper
understanding of what leading brands
are doing internally to drive growth
externally. We’re inviting brands
to participate to understand the
opportunities and challenges they’re
facing when building cultures
and capabilities.
How to work with us
Growth Accelerator Session
Book a private, complimentary session
with Interbrand to get an initial growth
assessment. You’ll work with a leading
Interbrand team to design a high-level
roadmap. We utilize our Brand Strength
Factors—an essential part of our Brand
Valuation methodology—and our Growth
Accelerator to customize the session,
and activate your growth agenda.
To participate in the Anatomy of Growth
Study, to ensure you are on the list for
published results, or to book a Growth
Accelerator Session, please contact
Andrea Sullivan.
Chief Marketing Officer
@
+1 212 798 7510
Chief Communications Officer
@
+1 212 798 7590
Senior Public Relations Associate
@
+1 212 798 7547
Andrea Sullivan
Paola Norambuena
Alyssa Carfi
mailto:%
mailto:%
mailto:%
66
At Interbrand, we believe that growth
is an outcome of a clear strategy and
exceptional customer experiences,
enabled by world-class capabilities.
That’s what we deliver through a
combination of strategy, creativity, and
technology that helps drive growth for our
clients’ brands and businesses.
With a network of 21 offices in 17
countries, Interbrand is the leading global
brand consultancy, the publisher of the
highly influential annual Best Global
Brands and Interbrand Breakthrough
Brands reports, and Webby Award-
winning brandchannel.
For more information, please visit
For the latest branding news and in-depth
coverage:
About Interbrand
For more on Best Global Brands:
Follow the conversation: #BGB2017
All valuation and funding data featured in this report are sourced
from and , and reflect
information available as of 5/14/17.
Interbrand® is a registered trademark of Interbrand. All other
trademarks appearing herein are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners. Interbrand does not claim
ownership of any third-party trademark or image contained
herein. Interbrand does not claim to be endorsed by, nor does
it endorse any product, business, or trademark contained in
this document.
Copyright © 2017 Interbrand
All rights reserved.
interbrand
67
Global
Jez Frampton
Global Chief Executive Officer
@
Andrea Sullivan
Chief Marketing Officer
@
Paola Norambuena
Chief Communications Officer
@
EMEA & LatAm
Gonzalo Brujo
Chief Executive Officer, EMEA & LatAm
@
Asia-Pacific
Stuart Green
Chief Executive Officer, Asia-Pacific
@
USA
Kelly Gall
Chief Commercial Officer
@
Daniel Binns
Chief Executive Officer, USA
@
Global Contacts
mailto:%
mailto:%
mailto:%
mailto:%
mailto:%
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68
Editorial Team
Paola Norambuena
Janine Stankus
Mark Kersteen
Editorial Contributors
Jez Frampton
Andy Payne
Andrea Sullivan
Alison Cardy
Daniel Binns
Evan Gettinger
Jessica Shvarts
Kate Larrabee
Paola Norambuena
Patrick Lopez
Meghann Fraser
Tom Zara
Design Team
Andy Payne
Adam Towers
Aida Amer
Erick Fugii
Jasmine Hong
Kristian Sear
Photography
Daniela Rocha
Pawel Nolbert
Priscilla Du Perez
Rich Lock
Romain Peli
Tolga Kilinc
Content Team
Alyssa Carfi
Colin White
Irina Sapsay
Kari Halvorsen
Johnny Trinh
Louise Gillis
Maria Barea
Susan Peterson
Tina Goldstone
Will Matalene
Yuliana Safari
Sector Contributors
Aarif Morbi
Brandon Ward
Brian Erdman
Beto Almeida
Cornelius Boland
Dominic Leung
Eryn Murphy
Fell Gray
Heather Baillie
Isabel Blasco
Jessica Shvarts
Jim Hoostal
John Michael O’Sullivan
Meghann Frasier
Nicole Diamant
Nina Oswald
Padmini Mangunta
Contributors
Penelope Davis
Rebecca Robins
Ryan Brazelton
Tom Zara
