Humanization of Technology Drives $339 Billion Brand Value Growth in Second BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands Ranking

- Amazon maintains the title of World's Most Valuable Global Retail Brand increasing its brand value +91% to $315.5 billion

- Alibaba, the Chinese online retailer and the largest non-US retailer in the world, grows its brand value +48% to $131.2 billion

AMSTERDAM, May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovative use of technology such as artificial intelligence and data analytics has helped e-commerce deliver numerous human benefits, fuelling a 33% growth in brand value for the most powerful players in retail WPP and Kantar unveiled today.

The second annual BrandZ^TM Top 75 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands ranking and report – looking at luxury, apparel, retail and fast-food outlets – revealed the world's most valuable retail brands are worth $339 billion more this year than last, a total of US$1.4 trillion.

BrandZ is the only brand valuation ranking that combines analysis of retailers' financial performance with the opinions of millions of consumers surveyed in more than 50 markets around the world.

The world's most valuable retail brand, Amazon ($315.5 billion), accounts for nearly a quarter (23%) of the total brand value of the Top 75. Amazon is a major international influence on shopping and continually finds ways to improve the shopping experience for new and existing customers.

However, Amazon is not the only game in town. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, the world's largest online and mobile commerce business, arguably has more innovations than Amazon such as partnering with Starbucks (no.7) to have Starbucks in all Alibaba properties, and disrupting its logistics model to better facilitate super-fast delivery. Its brand value increased by +48% to $131.2 billion putting it ahead of McDonald's (no.3).

David Roth, CEO of The Store WPP EMEA and Asia and Chairman of BrandZ, said: "We are entering the third era of digital retail as human rhythms meet algorithms enabling retailing to be much more digital but appear more human. This year's rankings also signal the increasing importance of Chinese retailers in online and mobile commerce indicated by Alibaba's rise to the number two position. It is at the cutting edge of where ecommerce, mobile and physical retail intersect with the consumer."