Apple is the world's first $1 trillion brand: Kantar

According to Kantar BrandZ's Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands 2024, Apple has become the world’s first trillion-dollar brand, holding onto pole position for the third consecutive year.

Fellow tech giants Google, Microsoft, and Amazon join Apple atop the rankings, underscoring the industry’s continued dominance compared to other global sectors.

Rounding out the top five is McDonald’s, with the report asserting that the fast food company’s continued innovation has bolstered its success, pointing specifically to its use of AI for dynamic menu boards and order prediction.

Further demonstrating how effective AI has become for driving brand value, NVIDIA has lept 18 places to crack the top 10 for the first time, holding sixth position with a 178% year-on-year brand value increase.

This year’s rankings also saw Facebook rejoin the Top 10 after a one-year absence, while Oracle joined the Top 10 for the first time.

Kantar believes this year’s BrandZ ranking underscores the resilience of top brands in the face of economic uncertainty, with the total brand value of the Global Top 100 rebounding 20% to reach $8.3 trillion, close to the 2022 peak of $8.7 trillion.

Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, said: “With its $1 trillion brand valuation, Apple has proven resilient in the face of testing market conditions, justifying premium prices and proving that meaningful, different and salient brands are best placed to weather global economic disruption.

“Our 2024 global report reveals that strong brands continue to thrive despite global economic uncertainty. This year, brands investing in AI are seeing remarkable gains by reaping the benefits of enhanced customer experience. But effective marketing takes many forms, whether via great content, new innovations, effective media strategy, savvy pricing and more.

“Crucially, investment in effective marketing helps to improve consumer predisposition and drive brand value growth, contributing significant dollar value to support sustained business success.”

Since its launch in 2006, the brand value of the Global Top 100 has increased 474%, with the threshold to join the Top 100 increasing 354% from $4 billion to $19 billion.