Amazon is world's most valuable brand as it breaks $200bn mark

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jan 24, 2020

Amazon has made history as the first brand in the world to be worth over $200 billion (£153bn), defending its position as the world’s most valuable brand for the third consecutive year.

According to the latest Brand Finance Global 500 ranking, launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, Amazon’s brand value has now reached $220.8 billion, after growing by 18% compared to last year. 

This is over $60 billion more than Google and $80 billion more than Apple, the world’s second and third most valuable brands.

Microsoft, worth $117bn, and Samsung, worth $94.4bn, complete the top five. And while 44 retail brands feature in this year’s ranking, the first fashion name to appear is Nike, rising a spot to number 41 with a $34.7 billion value. Gucci moved up to spot 99 with a market value of $17.8 billion, and it was followed by Adidas at 109 and Louis Vuitton at 110. 

Target (114), Zara (No.128), and H&M (135) beat Chanel in market valuation, with the famous luxury house coming in at number 136. JD.com (142), Uniqlo (143), Hermes (154) and TJ Maxx (189) are also featured in the top 200 most valuable brands.

According to Brand Finance, the novelty of operating in the digital space is starting to wear off, with some online retailers losing brand value while bricks-and-mortar chains are making gains. This is demonstrated by Walmart, which jumped up three places to enter the top 10 once again after beefing up its digital strategy. The US retailer has recently launched Alphabots, robots that pick and pack online grocery orders at high speeds. 

“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,” said David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance. 

“As digital operators find they need to remain attentive to consumers and traditional retailers, such as Walmart, successfully adapt to change, we are back to normal as all players realise that ultimately the customer is king.”