LONDON: US retail giant Amazon has moved past hi-tech titans Apple and Google to become the world’s most valuable brand, a key survey showed Tuesday.
The brand value of Amazon surged by 52 percent to $315 billion, global market research agency Kantar said in its 2019 100 Top BrandZ report.
Amazon jumped from third to first place to eclipse Google — which slid from first to third place with Apple holding on to the second spot.
The Seattle-based retail behemoth, founded by Jeff Bezos in his garage in 1994, topped the table thanks to key acquisitions, superior customer services and a disruptive business model, Kantar said in a statement.
“Amazon’s smart acquisitions, that have led to new revenue streams, excellent customer service provision and its ability to stay ahead of its competitors by offering a diverse ecosystem of products and services, have allowed Amazon to continuously accelerate its brand value growth,” said Kantar.
The agency, which is owned by British advertising group WPP, added that Amazon showed “little sign” of any slowdown in its growth.
The top ten companies were once again dominated by US firms, with Apple on $309.5 billion, Google on $309 billion and Microsoft on $251 billion.
Payments specialist Visa had the fifth biggest value at almost $178 billion, while social networking group Facebook was the sixth largest at nearly $159 billion.
For the first time, Alibaba beat Tencent to become the most valuable Chinese brand.
E-commerce leader Alibaba was the seventh biggest at $131.2 billion, up two places on the previous year.
Internet giant Tencent fell three spots to stand at number eight with a value of $130.9 billion.
In a sign of Asia’s growing importance, 23 of the top 100 brands were Asian — including 15 from China.
The leading brands have embraced “disruptive” business models to beat traditional rivals in the technology, finance and retail sectors.
“Amazon’s phenomenal brand value growth of almost $108 billion in the last year demonstrates how brands are now less anchored to individual categories and regions,” said Doreen Wang, Kantar’s global head of BrandZ.
“The boundaries are blurring as technology fluency allow brands, such as Amazon, Google and Alibaba, to offer a range of services across multiple consumer touchpoints.
“Using their consumer experience and expertise, these brands are crossing over into the business services sector, creating new opportunities for brand growth.
“Disruptive ecosystem models are flourishing in regions such as Asia, where consumers are more technology-enabled and where brands are integrating themselves into every aspect of people’s daily lives.”
Brand value on the key survey is calculated on the basis of the companies’ financial performance and their standing among consumers across the globe.
Amazon dethrones Google as top global brand: survey
Amazon dethrones Google as top global brand: survey
- The brand value of Amazon surged by 52 percent to $315 billion
- Brand value on the key survey is calculated on the basis of the companies’ financial performance and their standing among consumers across the globe
Middle East war economic impact to depend on duration, damage, energy costs, IMF official says
- Katz: Prolonged increase in energy prices could unanchor inflation expectations
- IMF: 2026 global GDP outlook was solid, too early to judge war’s impact on growth
WASHINGTON: The Middle East war’s impact on the global economy will depend on its duration and damage to infrastructure and industries in the region, particularly whether energy price increases are short-lived or persistent, the International Monetary Fund’s number two official said on Tuesday.
IMF First Deputy Managing Director Dan Katz told the Milken Institute Future of Finance conference in Washington that if there is prolonged uncertainty from the conflict and a prolonged impact on energy prices, “I would expect central banks to be cautious and respond to the situation as it materializes.”
He said the conflict could be “very impactful on the global economy across a range of across a range of metrics, whether it’s inflation, growth and so on” but it was still early to have a firm conviction.
Prior to the US and Israeli air strikes on Iran and counterattacks across the region, the IMF had forecast solid global GDP growth of 3.3 percent in 2026, powering through tariff disruptions due in part to the continued AI investment boom and expectations of productivity gains.
Katz said that the economic impact from the Middle East conflict would be influenced by its duration and further geopolitical developments.
Earlier, the IMF said it was monitoring the conflict’s disruptions to trade and economic activity, surging energy prices and increased financial market volatility.
“The situation remains highly fluid and adds to an already uncertain global economic environment,” the Fund said in a statement issued from Washington. Katz said the IMF will look at the conflict’s direct impacts on the region, including damage to infrastructure, and disruptions to key sectors.
“Tourism is an important one. Air travel. Is there physical damage to infrastructure, production facilities, and the big industry in particular that everyone will be focused on is, of course, the energy industry,” he said.
Oil rose further on Tuesday as Iran vowed to attack ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude oil , the global benchmark, surged to $83 per barrel, up 15 percent from its level on Friday.
Katz said he expected central banks to “look through” a temporary rise in energy prices, given their focus on core inflation. But central banks could respond if a more persistent energy shock results in “a destabilizing of inflation expectations.”
He said the post-COVID inflation spike of 2022 was influenced by energy impacts from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with more pass-through from headline inflation to core inflation.
“And so I’m sure central banks, as they are thinking about how the geopolitical situation is translating into energy markets, will be looking at the lessons of the pandemic and seeing if they can apply any of those lessons in setting monetary policy,” Katz said.
