The Global 500 ranking is done annually by Brand Finance and rate companies on their brand strength and revenue. These companies have been ranked based on three major criteria; Brand Strength Index (BSI) which is the power of the name of the brand itself based on brand investment, equity and performance, brand royalty rate (BSI applied sector/industry-wise) and finally brand revenue figures.
This is why even if some companies have a very high BSI score, like Lego, they may not come in the top 10 most valuable brands in terms of revenue and royalty rate. This is a comprehensive evaluation of the brand as well as the company.
Most valuable brands - overall Global 500 ranking
| Rank | Company | Industry |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tech | |
| 2 | Apple | Tech |
| 3 | Amazon | Ecommerce |
| 4 | AT&T | Telecom |
| 5 | Microsoft | Tech |
| 6 | Samsung | Tech |
| 7 | Verizon | Tech and telecom |
| 8 | Walmart | Retailer |
| 9 | Social media | |
| 10 | ICBC | Banking |
After tech, banking is the largest sector by brand value. Financial services brands comprise 20 per cent of the Global 500. This is followed by telecoms, retail and auto in that order.
As we mentioned earlier, based on BSI or brand value alone, this list differs quite a bit, so here are the most powerful brands in the world as of now.
Most powerful brands based on BSI
| Rank | Brand |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lego |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Nike |
| 4 | Ferrari |
| 5 | Visa |
| 6 | Disney |
| 7 | National Broadcasting Company (NBC) |
| 8 | Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) |
| 9 | Johnson and Johnson |
| 10 | McKinsey and Company |
