{"id":11645,"date":"2021-06-16T09:20:32","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T08:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/?post_type=press-release&#038;p=11645"},"modified":"2023-10-02T17:21:59","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T16:21:59","slug":"auto-brands-dominate-in-europe-mercedes-ferrari-are-continents-most-valuable-and-strongest-among-top-500-brands","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/press-releases\/auto-brands-dominate-in-europe-mercedes-ferrari-are-continents-most-valuable-and-strongest-among-top-500-brands","title":{"rendered":"Auto Brands Dominate in Europe: Mercedes &amp; Ferrari are Continent\u2019s Most Valuable and Strongest Among Top 500 Brands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Total brand value of Europe\u2019s top 500 most valuable brands drops 10% from \u20ac1.96 trillion to \u20ac1.76 trillion during the COVID-19 pandemic<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Automobiles is continent\u2019s most valuable sector, accounting for 14% of total brand value in ranking<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Mercedes-Benz is Europe\u2019s most valuable brand, brand value nearly \u20ac50 billion<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Ferrari is Europe\u2019s strongest brand, boasting elite AAA+ rating<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Banking sector takes hit, cumulative brand value down 20%<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Changing consumer habits propel retail sector to brand value growth, with Germany\u2019s Delivery Hero continent\u2019s fastest-growing brand \u2013 up 148%<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Over half of brands in top 500 hail from just three nations: Germany, France, and UK<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View the full Brand Finance Europe 500 2021 report here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The total value of Europe\u2019s top 500 most valuable brands has dropped 10% during the COVID-19 pandemic from \u20ac1.96 trillion in 2020 to \u20ac1.76 trillion in 2021, according to the latest report by Brand Finance \u2013 the world\u2019s leading brand valuation consultancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brand Finance\u2019s ranking has been expanded to include the old continent\u2019s 500 most valuable brands for the first time, allowing for comparisons with the world\u2019s two other major economies \u2013 the United States and China. The US is in a league of its own, with its top 500 reaching a total brand value of a staggering \u20ac3.40 trillion. While Europe comes in second place, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has undermined its standing and China is quickly catching up, with its top 500 brands totalling \u20ac1.65 trillion in brand value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Richard Haigh, Managing Director, Brand Finance, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged Europe and the world alike, and the impact on the old continent\u2019s top brands cannot be ignored, with the total brand value of the top 500 ranking decreasing 10% year-on-year. The pandemic has tested the resolve of Europe\u2019s top brands \u2013 some have truly thrived and benefitted as consumers completely shifted their habits, whereas others will be hoping that the continent\u2019s rapid vaccination programme enables them to return to normal operations soon.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Automobiles speed ahead as most valuable sector<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Automobiles is the most valuable sector across the continent, with the 27 brands that feature in the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Europe 500 2021 ranking<\/a> accounting for 14% of the total brand value (\u20ac237.7 billion). German brands still command the auto industry across Europe, with the seven brands represented totalling an impressive \u20ac171.5 billion or three quarters of the sector\u2019s total. <strong>Mercedes-Benz<\/strong> once again leads the pack as the most valuable brand in Europe, with a brand value of \u20ac49.6 billion. <strong>Volkswagen<\/strong> (down 1% to \u20ac40.0 billion), <strong>BMW<\/strong> (down 6% to \u20ac34.4 billion), and <strong>Porsche<\/strong> (down 5% to \u20ac29.2 billion) all claim places in the top 10 in 3<sup>rd<\/sup>, 5<sup>th<\/sup>, and 6<sup>th<\/sup> respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite maintaining its position at the top, Mercedes-Benz has recorded a 16% decline in brand value this year. It has been a difficult year for most traditional car manufacturers \u2013 Mercedes included \u2013 with sales impacted by COVID-19. The iconic German marque also struggled to formulate a coherent electric mobility strategy and communicate a clear vision for its electric car models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Volkswagen has recorded healthier results, its brand value only recording a marginal 1% drop. The brand has continued to focus on its \u2018New Volkswagen\u2019 strategy \u2013 described as a new era for the brand, as well as implementing its TOGETHER 2025+ strategy \u2013 with the ultimate aim of selling 50 different fully-electric vehicles and another 30 plug-in hybrid options. Should the brand be successful, it will overtake Tesla to become the world\u2019s largest electric carmaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1379\" height=\"776\" src=\"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BV-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11646\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BV-4.jpg 1379w, https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BV-4-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BV-4-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1379px) 100vw, 1379px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ferrari is Europe\u2019s strongest brand<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. According to these criteria, <strong>Ferrari<\/strong> is Europe\u2019s strongest brand \u2013 and the second strongest brand in the world according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/global\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Global 500 2021 ranking<\/a> \u2013 with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93.9 out of 100 and corresponding elite AAA+ brand strength rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ferrari reacted proactively to the pandemic, initially shutting down production and then reopening with a focus on creating a safe working environment. This both minimised disruption and reinforced the brand\u2019s reputation as a high-quality and responsible firm. In line with this, Ferrari ranks high for reputation in our Global Brand Equity Monitor study, particularly in Western Europe (in the top 3 of all brands researched in France, Italy, and the UK). Ferrari remains a highly desired brand, albeit aspirational rather than accessible for many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside revenue forecasts, brand strength is a crucial driver of brand value. As Ferrari\u2019s brand strength maintained its rating, its brand value dropped only slightly, down 4% to \u20ac7.9 billion. For years, Ferrari has utilised merchandise to support brand awareness and diversify revenue streams and is now taking steps to preserve the exclusivity of the brand, planning to reduce current licensing agreements by 50% and eliminate 30% of product categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1379\" height=\"776\" src=\"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BSI-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11647\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BSI-4.jpg 1379w, https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BSI-4-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Euro-500-BSI-4-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1379px) 100vw, 1379px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Banking sector down 20%<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As governments scramble to stimulate economic growth in the face of the ongoing global health crisis, and profits and interest rates take a hit, it is unsurprising that Europe\u2019s banking sector has recorded the most dramatic cumulative brand value loss among the main sectors of the economy. The total brand value in the industry has declined by 20% \u2013 from \u20ac225.8 billion in 2020 to \u20ac181.8 billion in 2021 \u2013 and three brands have dropped out of the ranking this year, bringing the total number to 53.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UK\u2019s <strong>HSBC<\/strong> is the highest ranked banking brand, but only sits in 21<sup>st<\/sup> spot, down six places from last year following an 18% brand value decrease to \u20ac14.5 billion. Over the last year, HSBC has had to navigate a dent in profits, lower interest rates sparked by the pandemic, political tensions between the US and China, and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, all of which caused the brand\u2019s profits to plunge by 65% in the first half of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, Spain\u2019s leader in the sector, <strong>Santander<\/strong>, has seen its brand value go down 23% to \u20ac12.2 billion, dropping out of the top 25 this year to 26<sup>th<\/sup> position. Its larger presence in the South American markets has meant the risk exposure is larger than its Spanish counterparts\u2019 and thus the turbulence of the last year has meant expected returns are less optimistic than previous years, impacting overall brand value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other national banking leaders from across the continent have fared slightly better, climbing the ranking despite losing brand value: France\u2019s <strong>BNP Paribas <\/strong>(down 12% to \u20ac10.5 billion), the Netherlands\u2019 <strong>ING<\/strong> (down 17% to \u20ac8.5 billion), and Switzerland\u2019s <strong>UBS<\/strong> (down 11% to \u20ac7.4 billion) have moved up to 29<sup>th<\/sup>, 38<sup>th<\/sup>, and 51<sup>st <\/sup>positions, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sber cashes in as strongest banking brand<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Russia\u2019s market leader, <strong>Sber<\/strong>, is the strongest banking brand across the continent and globally according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/banking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Banking 500 2021 ranking<\/a>. The brand has successfully increased its brand strength year-on-year to reach an impressive BSI score of 92.0 out of 100 and the coveted AAA+ brand strength rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the largest bank in Russia, Sber has benefitted from its stable brand and high levels of customer loyalty. These have only been boosted by the recent rebranding to consolidate its ecosystem of services \u2013 encompassing banking, health, and logistics, among others \u2013 around the Sber brand. Sber is poised for further success, as the company\u2019s pledge to spend more on its brand in the coming year is likely to further boost its BSI score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In our original market research, Sber consistently outperforms its peers in overall reputation and familiarity \u2013 it is widely known, always top-of-mind, and well-regarded. As a result, recommendation is high. Its ubiquitous presence and \u2013 in consumers\u2019 eyes \u2013 by far the best digital offering ensure high mental and physical availability, which are strong foundations for brand strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cSber\u2019s successful rebranding as a cross-sector tech brand can be an example to other market leaders worldwide. While some rest on their laurels and are often surprised by disruptive challengers, Sber is focused on the future, innovating and modernising with their customers\u2019 best interests in mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Retail sector posts brand value growth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bucking the trend across Europe\u2019s largest industries, the retail sector has recorded a 4% uptick in cumulative brand value. It is the third most valuable sector, behind autos and banking, with the 49 brands that feature accounting for 9% of the total brand value in the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Europe 500 2021 ranking<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unsurprisingly, various types of retailers have been impacted by the pandemic differently, as consumer habits have been forced to change. Notably, delivery apps and e-commerce platforms are among the fastest growers in the ranking this year. Delivery apps have benefited from the displacement of hospitality spend, where demand for quality food and small indulgences cannot be fulfilled by lockdown-hit restaurants and bars, with consumers turning to takeaways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Germany\u2019s <strong>Delivery Hero <\/strong>is the fastest-growing brand in the ranking, following an impressive 148% brand value growth to \u20ac3.2 billion. Similarly, <strong>Just Eat <\/strong>is the second fastest-growing brand, up 112% to \u20ac2.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, brick-and-mortar retailers<strong> IKEA <\/strong>(down 13% to \u20ac15.3 billion),<strong> Aldi<\/strong>,and <strong>Lidl <\/strong>stillclaim the podium for the sector\u2019s most valuable brands. The German supermarket rivals have posted contrasting results, however, with Aldi recording a 2% increase in brand value and Lidl a 14% decrease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aldi (brand value \u20ac13.2 billion) has embarked on a foray into the online retail space, successfully pivoting its offering in the face of the pandemic. The same strategy has not been undertaken by Lidl (brand value \u20ac9.6 billion), with the CEO of the UK arm, Christian H\u00e4rtnagel, arguing the pandemic has artificially inflated demand for online shopping and that the costs are simply too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>German brands represent a quarter of total brand value<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the nation\u2019s 65 brands making up 25% of the total brand value in the ranking, Germany is well ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>France sits in second, with 91 brands featuring and their brand value equating to 20% of the total. <strong>Orange <\/strong>(down 1% to \u20ac16.3 billion),<strong> Total <\/strong>(down 26% to \u20ac15.4 billion),and<strong> AXA <\/strong>(up 1% to \u20ac14.8 billion) are the top three most valuable French brands, claiming 13<sup>th<\/sup>, 15<sup>th<\/sup>, and 19<sup>th<\/sup> spots, respectively. Orange has continued its focus on the deployment of 5G, which as of the beginning of 2021, is present in 160 cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Brexit puts Britain on backfoot?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the UK still having the greatest number of brands represented at 101, it is the only major economy to lose brands in the ranking, with nine brands dropping out the ranking this year. After Britain\u2019s official exit from the European Union in January 2020, the true impact of its departure is yet to be seen, especially given the pandemic turmoil of the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A total of 334 or two in three among the top 500 brands hail from the EU, a number that has dropped a considerable amount now that the UK has left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very few brands from Central and Eastern Europe are represented, with only 22 featured in total. The majority of these brands hail from Russia, whose 15 brands account for 2% of the total brand value in the ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Richard Haigh, Managing Director, Brand Finance, commented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWith over half of the brands in the top 500 hailing from just three nations \u2013 Germany, France, and the UK \u2013 the smaller economies have a long way to go to stamp their authority across the continent. The focus should be shifted towards investment in building up and supporting strong homegrown brands to expand internationally, which will in turn drive local economies forward.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note to Editors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every year, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brandfinance.com\/\">Brand Finance<\/a> puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, evaluating their strength and quantifying their value, and publishes nearly 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. Europe\u2019s 500 most valuable brands are included in the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Europe 500 2021 ranking<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full rankings, additional insights, charts, more information about the methodology, as well as definitions of key terms are to be found in the <a href=\"https:\/\/brandirectory.com\/rankings\/europe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand Finance Europe 500 2021 report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand\u2019s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Please see below for a full explanation of our methodology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Total brand value of Europe\u2019s top 500 most valuable brands drops 10% from \u20ac1.96 trillion to \u20ac1.76 trillion during the COVID-19 pandemic Automobiles is continent\u2019s most valuable sector, accounting for 14% of total brand value in ranking Mercedes-Benz is Europe\u2019s most valuable brand, brand value nearly \u20ac50 billion Ferrari is Europe\u2019s strongest brand, boasting elite [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[166,108,42,184],"class_list":["post-11645","press-release","type-press-release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-europe","tag-germany","tag-italy","tag-poland"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/11645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11645"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/11645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24944,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/11645\/revisions\/24944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandfinance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}