Despite layoffs and budget cuts in Hollywood, entertainment has overtaken the automotive industry to become the world’s second-largest sector by combined brand value. Consultancy Interbrand valued the sector’s brands at $332.5 billion in its Best Global Brands report, up 12.4% year on year.
Netflix’s brand value rose 22%. Interbrand said the increase reflects the company’s moves into live entertainment, sport and advertising.
Netflix ranked 23rd among the world’s most valuable brands. Instagram placed seventh and YouTube tenth, making them the only entertainment brands in the overall top ten. Disney ranked 23rd, Sony 35th and Spotify 39th.
Interbrand Global CEO Gonzalo Brujó said that with content abundant and consumer attention fragmented, competitive advantage is shifting from the scale of content to the strength of a brand. He added that as AI transforms how entertainment is created, distributed and consumed, technology alone will become a weaker source of differentiation.
Technology companies led the overall ranking: Apple came first, followed by Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Samsung. Gaming brands Nintendo and PlayStation also increased their brand values.
Interbrand’s annual report uses available financial data and requires companies to have significant revenue outside their home markets, long-term profit forecasts and a Brand Strength Score of at least 50. Research was conducted by Paradigm Sample.
