A GLOBAL survey ranking the top 100 valuable global brands have included four Australian companies in the list, with technology giant Apple taking out the top spot.
Three of the four brands are banks — the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ Bank. Woolworths is the only non-banking Australian brand to make the Brandz Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list.
The Brandz ranking, compiled by global market research firm Millward Brown and commissioned by marketing giant WPP, calculates the overall value of a brand based on financial data, as well as the views of potential and current buyers of the brand.
The total value of the top brands is US$2.5 trillion. Apple maintained its status as the world’s most valuable brand, worth US$185 billion, followed by Google (US$113.7bn), IBM (US$112.5bn) and McDonalds (US$90.3bn).
Whilst technology companies continued to dominate the top ten, the fastest growing brands reflected consumer interests in luxury, beer and apparel. Prada, Braha and Zara were the three top risers.
“Prada increased 63 percent, driven by the ongoing appetite for luxury, particularly in fast growing markets,” says the report.
Brandz director Peter Walshe said it was a balance of local and global strength, having a strong corporate brand and diversifying into new areas which helped push a brand up the list.
An Australian brand first made the Brandz list in 2012, when the Commonwealth Bank entered the Top 100 at the 60th spot. This year it has moved up 12 places to 48th, with the brand valued at US$17.7 billion.
Following the Commonwealth Bank is ANZ Bank in 52th place (US$16.5bn), Woolworths at 80 (US$11bn) and Westpac at 88, worth US$10bn. It is the first time these three brands have made it onto the list.
The report gives credit to Australia’s strong economy in helping Australian brands rise up the ranks.
“The growing brand value of brands from Australia indicates the strength of the country’s economy relative to other developed markets, and how the country’s proximity to fast growing Asia markets is influencing growth,” says the report.