The Year of Business as Usual? Or Business Unusual?
Which brands have proven themselves to be pandemic-proof? As a topsy-turvy 2020 heads into the home stretch, we take a look at the 5 most valuable brands in the world.
Find out which industries thrived, even during world-wide lockdowns.
Shopping and Tech Continue to Dominate
In a year when COVID-19 drove forced people all over the world to hunker down at home, BrandZ data shows that online shopping and tech have gained an even stronger foothold among global brands.
1. Amazon: A Company Made for the Hunker-Down Economy
Not surprisingly, Amazon holds onto the top spot in the rankings with a value that soared to over $415 billion. Nervous consumers turned quite heavily to online shopping and leaned on delivery in even greater numbers, especially when local grocery store shelves were stripped of essentials such as toilet paper and antibacterial cleaning products.
In addition to stocking up on necessities, consumers who suddenly had a lot of time to kill turned to services such as Prime Video to binge-watch shows and movies.
2. Apple: A Bushel of New iPhones Keeps it on Top
With the ubiquitous iPhone continuing to overpower smartphone sales, Apple once again held off rival tech giant Microsoft. Valued at $352 billion, it’s a distant second to Amazon but still maintains a comfortable position near the top of the rankings.
Sales of the iPhone 12, slated for release in the fall, are expected to far outpace the demand seen in the iPhone 11’s debut. Look for holiday sales of phones to give Apple a substantial boost in the final quarter of 2020.
3. Microsoft: X(box) Marks the Spot
Stay-at-home orders provided a boon for Microsoft’s Xbox platform. Sales of consoles saw an uptick, while game sales and subscriptions jumped 65% in year-over-year revenue.
Combined with its massive desktop and laptop installed user base, plus the expansion of its Azure cloud computing service, the tech Goliath leapfrogged Google into third place.
With company-wide growth up 53% over the previous year, Microsoft saw its brand value increase to over $326 billion.
4. Google: Those Six Letters You Type When You Want to Find Information
Next up, we have Google, valued at $323 billion. Although it took a slight hit early on in the pandemic as businesses cut back on advertising, it has seen a resurgence in ad revenue as companies recalibrated their marketing strategies.
The company did see growth in other areas throughout the pandemic: people turned to its YouTube platform looking for videos on timely subjects, including meditation and crafting DIY face masks. But while it has weathered COVID-19, Google and other major tech companies are facing additional scrutiny from governments around the world.
It will be interesting to see what impact it has on the brand’s value over the next 6-12 months.
5. Visa: It’s Everywhere You WANT to Be, But CAN’T Be Right Now
Rounding out the top five is Visa. Credit card processing companies are seeing growth through the pandemic as people turn to online shopping and food delivery services during lockdowns.
Visa has a solid foothold in the financial services industry with a brand value of nearly $187 billion—nearly $79 billion higher than its rival MasterCard.
Look for the rising tide of holiday shopping (and a new round of quarantining) to lift all of the credit card companies, but Visa is poised to stay atop the industry and hold its position in the top five most valuable brands.
Here They Are, Your Top 5 Pandemic-Proof Brands
These companies make up the 5 most valuable brands in the world for a good reason.
Long before the term coronavirus became entrenched in our collective vocabulary, these companies had well-established reputations in online shopping, business, and entertainment.
As countries in the northern hemisphere see a spike in COVID cases during the fall and winter months, expect them—as well as other entertainment and e-Commerce brands—to get another boost in Q4 2020.
How are you shepherding your brand through these turbulent times?
If you’re inspired rather than intimidated by these tech and e-Commerce giants, give us a call. We’ll help you create a plan that helps your brand not only survive but thrive in a global crisis.