Apple named Interbrand's top global brand for eighth consecutive year

Interbrand assigned Apple a "brand value" of just under $323 billion, up 38% from $234.2 billion last year.

According to the firm, brand value is a calculation that represents a brand's impact on customers, employees and investors. Strong brands exert influence on consumers, create a loyal following, attract and retain employees and lower the cost of financing.

"Ultimately, Apple's (BV $322,999bn +38% YOY) distinctiveness - or, in fact, uniqueness - isn't a result of what the brand says, but what it does," according to the Interbrand report. "It's Apple's products, technologies and stores that speak to the organization's philosophy of beautiful simplicity and individual empowerment - much more than any campaign could ever do. Inasmuch as many talk about the brand's aura, Apple has consistently changed what was in people's minds by changing what was in their hands."

There was a bit of shuffling in the top-five in 2020. Second place Amazon, which was previously in third, grew its brand value by a massive 60% as it invested in realtime data, AI and machine learning. Microsoft also experienced healthy gains to land itself in third position, up 53% on what Interbrand calls an "extraordinary cultural shift" at the hands of CEO Satya Nadella. Google and Samsung rounded out the top five spots.

Tech companies accounted for 11 of the top 20 brands, with newcomer Instagram entering the scene in 19th place. More than half of Interbrand's identified top growing brands have significant subscription model businesses.