Ferrari capture’s this year’s spot as the top-rising brand – Interbrand’s Best Global Brands reveals

Global brand consultancy Interbrand today launched its annual Best Global Brands ranking, marking a quarter of a century of brand valuation analysis.

Since 2000, Interbrand’s longitudinal study has tracked and reported on the value of the world’s biggest brands – and 25 years of data contains important lessons for leaders of the world’s most renowned companies. A quarter of a century of analysis reveals that while performance marketing tactics can drive short-term financial gains, a lack of investment in long-term brand strategy has left the Best Global Brands with at least $3.5T of unrealised value. For this last year, this equates to $200B of lost revenue.

The cumulative value of the world’s most valuable brands has increased 3.4x since Interbrand first published its ranking (from $988B USD to $3.4T USD). While this may seem like impressive growth, the data and analysis showed that an increasingly short-term mindset has cost these companies significantly.

Gonzalo Brujó, Global CEO, Interbrand said: “If these brands had been treated and managed as strategic growth assets, then this table could be worth as much as $6.9T. The growth we see hides a staggering missed opportunity.”

Apple remains the most valuable brand, but its brand value has dropped for the first time in over two decades (-3%).

Commenting on Apple, Greg Silverman, global director of brand economics, Interbrand said: “While others rushed into AI, Apple has taken a more deliberate path to ensure its AI releases matched its values. This slower-moving act of leadership has put long-term trust ahead of short-term revenue gains. Following these brand moves, Apple’s stock has moved up 20% YTD and we anticipate that Apple’s value will increase in the 2025 rankings.”

14 of the top 100 brands of 2024 are automotive, making up more than any other sector in the ranking. Three auto brands – Toyota (#6), Mercedes-Benz (#8) and BMW (#10) – appear in the top 10. However, not all auto brands have achieved such success. Tesla (#12) has one of this year’s largest declines in brand value (-9%). Meanwhile, Kia (#86) Hyundai (#30) and Toyota (#6) achieved double digit growth.

Luxury’s brand value continued an upward trajectory (+7%, up from + 6.5% last year), extending relevance by creating new consumer experiences and expanded digital touchpoints, demonstrating powerful creativity that taps into the human condition.

Ferrari (#62) captured this year’s spot as the top-rising brand, with +21% brand value growth. Louis Vuitton jumped three places (#14 to #11) with Hermès (#22) and Prada (#83) two of the biggest luxury brand risers this year, seeing brand value growth of +15% and +14% respectively.

Manfredi Ricca, global chief strategy officer, Interbrand said: “Luxury is no longer about purchase alone, it’s about the experience that surrounds it. Luxury brands are continuing to show how innovation and customer experience can lead to premium growth. Louis Vuitton had a remarkable year last year with notable achievements across domains. Demonstrating its ability to sell culture not just handbags, the brand opened a series of restaurants and cafés around the world. It’s a rare accomplishment that a corporate holding company brand conveys a rich, varied house of brands while also resonating as a brand within its own right.”

Meet the 2024 new entrants

Nvidia (#36), Pandora (#91), Range Rover (#96), and Jordan (#99) are this year’s new entrants – and Jordan is the first personality brand to make it onto the table. Uber (#78) and LG (#97) re-enter.

Silverman said: “Jordan is a brand that has globalised on classic sports values of hard work and winning on and off the court. It has cleverly capitalised on the role social media has played in creating demand. Customers find themselves connected to the Jordan brand at many emotional levels allowing it to perform well financially and carve out a global position separate from the Nike corporate brand.”

Over the past 25 years – and especially coming out of the pandemic – we’ve seen a significant shift in the role of the Chief Marketing Officer in the boardroom and the influence that their brand and marketing teams have in shaping total growth strategies. CEOs and CFOs are prioritising lower total investments with much more immediate returns.

Brujó said: “Performance tools, capabilities and systems have evolved over the past quarter century. As these tools shift, so do the pressures and expectations placed on brand and marketing leaders. Today, CMOs are expected to deliver greater revenue returns, in shorter time frames, for a lower investment.

“Many of the world’s most valuable brands are missing out on significant earning potential by over-investing in short-term gains. Our analysis shows these gains, when tied predominantly to short-term tactics, can undermine a company’s mid- to long-term revenue potential.”

What are the winners getting right?

Interbrand analysis shows that the most successful companies across the ranking treat their brand as a revenue generator, rather than as a cost center. They use their brand to build deeper, more meaningful and more equitable relationships with their customers – which drives loyalty and advocacy and creates more permission for these brands to be more present in consumers’ lives. Interbrand defines and describes this as Arena Thinking.

Ricca said: “Ferrari is the fastest growing brand on this year’s table. Its ability to move beyond cars is something to be lauded. From fashion to food, Ferrari is taking its strong sense of brand and finding new ways to show up for consumers – and they seem to resoundingly approve. When a brand like Ferrari, Google or even Spotify gains the trust of their consumers to expand into new Arenas, their potential for growth is unmatched.”