Technology titans Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook have monopolised the top five places in the 2017 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking conducted by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown.
Amazon achieved the highest dollar value growth of all brands in the Top 100 ranking, increasing by $40.3bn (£31.2bn) jumping 41% to $139.3bn (£107.9bn) to take the number four spot.
Recent innovations at Amazon include grocery delivery, testing drone deliveries, cash-free shopping and personal assistant Alexa.
Google, Apple and Microsoft have retained the top three positions, upping their brand value by 7% to $245.6bn (£190.3bn), plus 3% to $234.7bn (£181.7bn) and up 18% to $143.2bn (£110.9bn) respectively over the past year, while Facebook, at number five, grew 27% to $129.8bn (£100.5bn).
A quarter (25%) of the total value of the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands is made up of the combined brand value of the top five, “emphasising their dominant positions in the modern business landscape”, according to WPP and Kantar Millward Brown.
David Roth, CEO EMEA and Asia at The Store WPP, commented: “This year’s BrandZ global top 100 continues to demonstrate that strong brands deliver superior shareholder value and returns regardless of disruptive external climates. Dubbed the ‘The Frightful Five’ by some, the tech giants that head the rankings are more like the ‘Fearsome Five’ to their competitors, given their huge brand power and a seemingly unassailable market position.”
Other highlights in this year’s ranking include Chinese brand Tencent (number eight), which saw increased use of its social platform WeChat and entered the Top 10 for the first time, with a brand value increase of 27% to $108.3bn (£83.9bn). Adidas was the fastest riser by percentage growth – plus 58 to $8.3bn (£6.4bn), followed by Chinese premium alcohol brand Moutai – up 48% to $17bn (£13.2bn).
Doreen Wang, Kantar Millward Brown global head of BrandZ, added: “This is the era of internet giants that have developed ever-growing ecosystems that touch and connect consumers, with the overall aim of making life easier, simpler and better.
“Technology with the consumer at its centre has redefined our expectations, and we now take for granted that products, services, tools and content are immediately available at our fingertips. These brands also demonstrate great elasticity – they confidently and
