Dive Brief:

• Technology companies are the world's most valuable brands, according to the 20th edition of Interbrand's annual rankings. The top four most valuable brands are Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft while Samsung comes in at number six on the list. Facebook dropped out of the top 10, with its ranking declining to number 14.
• Coca-Cola took fifth place while Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, McDonald's and Disney round out the top 10. Newcomers this year include Uber, which ranks 87 on the list, and LinkedIn at 98.
• The report also revealed that the luxury retail industry continues to be the fastest growing sector with a brand value growth rate of 11% year-over-year. Gucci alone saw a 23% increase in brand value this year to rank 33. Also on the list, Louis Vuitton ranked No. 17 and Chanel No. 22.

Dive Insight:

Twenty years after Interbrand produced its first Best Global Brands report, only 31 brands from that first report remain on the list today, including Disney, Nike and Gucci. The only brands to retain their top 10 ranking are Coca-Cola and Microsoft.

Apple, Google and Amazon held their leading positions this year, as consumers continue to rely on these companies for devices, content and services. However, Facebook's drop from the Top 10 list for the first time, down 12% from last year, suggests that reliance on technology comes with expectations around transparency and privacy. In the past few years, Facebook has been the recipient of negative press around how it handles data privacy and is under investigation by Congress.

The top three fastest growing brands on the list are Mastercard, which saw a 25% increase, Salesforce a 24% jump, and Amazon at a 24% boost. Amazon unseated Microsoft for the No. 3 position on the list last year. In 2016, the company ranked No. 8 and in 2017 at No. 5. With Amazon's annual momentum, it remains to be seen if the e-commerce giant can pass Google or Apple for one of the leading two spots.

Meanwhile Disney's jump from No. 14 in 2018 to No. 10 in 2019 comes as the company has been receiving a lot of press about its Disney+ streaming service that launches next month. Disney hasn't made the Top 10 since 2011. Interestingly, Netflix was up 10% to No. 65 on the list from No. 66 last year, illustrating that despite the streaming wars, the brand still has clout and is favored by consumers.

The changes in the list over the past two decades and in the past few years point to the importance of investing in brand marketing and the need for brands to meet customer expectations.

"For decades, the entire discipline of brand-building was based on the concept of brand positioning, but in today's accelerating markets, customer expectations outstrip static brand positions," said Charles Trevail, global CEO at Interbrand, in a press statement. "Brands can no longer be considered separate to businesses and will be judged on what they do, not just what they say; it is about trust, not just delivery."