Key points
Interbrand Best Global Brands 2025 report is out so we’re going global, baby! What can you learn from the top global players and fastest movers to level-up your brand in 2026? We've dissected the research to give you the low-down - it's a need to know basis for every CMO.
Tech beats fashion
It's offical. We’re now more obsessed with our phones than fashion labels. This is our new form of expression and where we’re spending our coin. And it’s not just wearable tech. Microsoft is up 10% because it makes our work life easier… most of the time.
The top five in 2025; Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Samsung create frictionless living. And we hand over all our cash and data to get it, making them even more essential to our everyday lives.
The Apple brand remains at #1 (for 14 years running), worth $470.9B (you read that right) and still significantly ahead of Microsoft at #2. But Apple’s value has reduced by 4% this year, so for how long?
A new record breaker
Nvidia made history with a record-breaking +116% growth, the highest single increase in brand valuation ever seen. Now valued at $43.2B, up 21 places to #15. What do they make? Chips... but not the tasty kind.
Founded in 1993 and originally known for gaming and professional graphics, Nvidia's value has skyrocketed since they evolved into an AI powerhouse. With the global AI boom, demand for Nvidia’s Graphics Processing Units has increased exponentially, positioning it as the go-to brand for AI computing. They power ChatGPT, autonomous vehicles and generative AI tools. They're even created a digital twin of our planet – called Earth-2 – to help predict climate change decades in advance.
“Digitally enabled services and the rise of AI are establishing new winners faster than ever.”
Biggest movers
The other brands who achieved a level up in 2025 with the biggest growth in brand value are Instagram (up 27%), YouTube (up 61%), Nintendo (up 35%) and Uber (up 38%). Toyota, Cisco, booking.com, Monster and BYD all came out stronger this year too.
So what do these brands have in common? They’re singular about the unmet human needs they address. They focus on the problem they can solve for their customers more than the product. It's a trend called 'Arena thinking' that's emerged over the last few years. It allows brands to operate across categories into arenas that satisfy human needs to connect, play, move or thrive. Read more in last years Best Global Brands 2024 blog here.
The back sliders
Nike is down 26%, Telsa dipped by 35%, Mercedes went backwards by 15%, Gucci has dropped by 35%. Why? These brands are increasingly 'old-school' in how they treat their audiences. Their approach to brand management is traditional and tightly controlled - not co-created. Tesla hasn't listened to it's customers about values misalignment. And Mercedes, Gucci and Nike are all top down brands who need to do some serious customer research to hand over some of the reigns.
Taking KPop to the world
Netflix has had one of the highest growth spurts in the global brand ranking this year, up a whopping 42.3% to #28. In a very cluttered category, the Netflix brand is now worth a staggering $28B. Why? Three reasons: Rumi, Mira & Zoey. The worldwide phenomenon of KPop Demon Hunters shows the power of fan-driven global storytelling. Netflix turned the film into a multi-channel sensation — breaking global records across two industries, streaming and music. It is now the most-watched Netflix movie of ALL TIME with over 236 million views. It’s proof that leaning into one culture doesn’t have to be a risk; when done well by harnessing epic fandom, it can create universal relevance. Just remember, Bluey did it first 😉.
Do you design your brand for the agents (bots) or for sentients (beings)?
Marketers and leaders face a choice. Focus their efforts on fighting the algorithmic battles (competing on features and price) or build their brands into icons that drive human choice. The winners will create a seamless balance between these two strategies by designing engagement systems for AI agents and for human beings.
Brand drives growth now & later
In the age of AI, your brand being chosen (by a human) rather than being delegated (by a bot) is the crucial metric for long-term business growth. If a consumer doesn’t care about a specific brand then they're more likely to delegate blindly to ChatGPT.
Building a brand that's indispensable means people are choosing you because you're unique and valuable – something that can't be replicated by a bot.
“The collapse of the traditional customer journeys – now often mediated by algorithms – means that only brands with a deeply entrenched, meaningful presence can reliably drive consumer choice.”
Hints and tips for global domination in 2026:
The fastest-growing brands avoid cross-cultural cringe by embedding themselves naturally into people’s lives. The key is to be recognisable, reliable, engaging, integrated, and consistent in every interaction. Whatever you do, don't become a slave to the algorithm. Disruption is a defining force shaping global brands and unless you make your brand indispensable, you become disposable.
Blog sources:
https://interbrand.com/best-global-brands/
