Wednesday 22 January 2020 9:43 am  |  Updated:  Wednesday 22 January 2020 11:33 am

Amazon breaks $200bn mark as world’s most valuable brand

By: Edward Thicknesse

Online retail titan Amazon has defended its position as the world’s most valuable brand for a third year in a row, with the firm becoming the first to break the $200bn (£153bn) mark.

Jeff Bezos’ company is worth $220.8bn in total, over $60bn more than second-placed Google, which is worth $159.7bn, according to the annual Brand Finance Global 500.

The rest of the top 10 is dominated by tech giants, with Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung filling out the third, fourth and fifth positions.

Retail giant Walmart comes in eighth to break tech’s stranglehold on the top 10, with a valuation of $77.5bn. Retail is well represented in the rankings, with 44 other brands making the list.

Bargain supermarket rivals Lidl and Aldi are among the top ten fastest growing brands, increasing 40 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.

Brand Finance chief executive David Haigh, who launched the report at Davos today, said: “Despite the unprecedented disruption caused by e-commerce, the popular assertion that entering digital operations brings instant success while bricks and mortar stores are doomed for extinction is being proved wrong.”

Shell tops UK brands

Shell remains Britain’s most valuable brand at $47.5bn, just eclipsing Saudi Aramco’s $46.8bn. Aramco published its financials ahead of its record-breaking initial public offering in December, which meant Brand Finance could value it for the first time.

It is the most valuable of the 44 new entries to the annual list, sitting at 24th place overall. Brand Finance said it was a sign that oil majors remain sought after despite increasing worries around fossil fuel emissions.

Haigh said: “Some might argue that the end is nigh for Big Oil, but many sectors will be difficult to decarbonise and will likely need oil and gas for decades to come.

The world’s 25 most valuable brands

“The challenge at hand for the industry is to make the production and use of oil and gas as efficient as possible throughout this transition, while actively preparing for the future by investing in renewables.”

The performance of the telecoms sector, however, may have analysts concerned, with four out of every five brands declining this year.

Vodafone

Vodafone slipped 14 places in this year’s list as its value dropped 10 per cent to $19.1bn.

The advent of 5G represents a lifeline for the sector, with controversial Chinese firm Huawei stealing into the top 10 despite fierce debate over whether it should be allowed to help build networks in the West.

Haig said: “Focus on extracting as much value as possible from the declining segments cannot sustain growth in the long term, as the consumption of telecommunications has changed for good.”

On the companion brand strength index, Italian supercar manufacturer Ferrari was in pole position for a second consecutive year.

Among the 21 British brands on the list, EY comes out on top, with a triple A rating and a score of 89.3 out of 100.

The valuation is worked out by calculating the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.