Walmart maintains its No. 1 spot on Interbrand’s 2014 Best Retail Brands list and, even with a 6 percent decline in brand value, it preserves an enormous margin over the next closest brand. Four brands increased their brand value by more than 25 percent this year: Macy’s, Whole Foods, Amazon and Cabela’s.
The global Best Retail Brands report ranks the top 50 North American and European retail brands by brand value, as well as the top retail brands from across Latin America and the Asia-Pacific. The report is produced in collaboration with Interbrand Design Forum, the retail experience group within Interbrand.
In addition to being No. 1 in North America, Walmart also is the most valuable retail brand in the world, with a brand value of $131,877 billion. Looking beyond North America, the following brands are ranked as the top retailer in their respective regions:
• H&M: USD $18,168 billion (Europe)
• Woolworths: USD $4,948 billion (Asia-Pacific)
• Natura: USD $3,156 billion (Latin America)
From mobile shopping to virtual fitting rooms, retailers are evolving the customer journey through a digital lens. The report also suggests that major retailers are looking beyond their core business models to gain competitive advantage. They are doing this by using online innovation to bridge the divide between in-store and online shopping and by developing a strategic understanding of sales data so that they can meet customer needs and desires better and faster than ever before.
“The world’s best retail brands understand the complex and challenging relationships between analog and digital and have been quick to address changing shopper behaviors,” said Dirk Defenbaugh, managing director of Interbrand Design Forum. “By integrating the physical and virtual, making purchasing easier, enhancing service and using storytelling, these leading brands are reimagining their offers and creating unique experiences for consumers that convert browsers into buyers.”
North America highlights
For 2014 the total value of the top 50 North American retail brands is up by $18 billion. The threshold for the league table rose 11 percent compared to last year, with the No. 50 brand (Chico’s) coming in with a value of $932 million compared to $836 million for Anthropologie last year.
Looking at the top 10 retail brands in North America, the first five maintain their positions from 2013. Following Walmart is Target, which remains at No. 2 with a value of $27 billion, which is an 8 percent increase over 2013. The Home Depot holds at No. 3 with a brand value of $25 billion. Amazon is No. 4 at $23 billion, increasing 27 percent from last year. CVS/pharmacy rounds out the top five nearing $18 billion, up 12 percent. Coach drops from No. 6 to No. 9, clearing the way for three other brands to move up. Walgreens is now No. 6 with an 8 percent rise. Sam’s Club remains steady at $13 billion and takes the No. 7 position. eBay progresses to No. 8 with a 20 percent increase. Publix advances into the top 10 for the first time, with a brand value of just more than $10 billion. With a 12 percent decrease in brand value Nordstrom falls out of the top 10 this year and lands at No. 12.
Top risers
This year four brands had significant increases, with brand value growing by more than 25 percent:
• Macy’s (+383 percent) is a great example of a retailer that has effectively managed its brand, according to the report. Macy’s has been quick to respond to shoppers’ new digital behaviors and rapidly become a leader in omnichannel retailing. It also keeps its brand well protected through the use of private label and has shown commitment to elevating the store experience. With three consecutive years of sales growth there also is increased confidence in the optimism around Macy’s financials.
• Whole Foods (+173 percent) is the clear leader in the natural foods/organic grocery category, and in 2013 it achieved increases in both same-store sales and market share. To keep its brand robust, Whole Foods continues to experiment, including testing a new product mix and pricing structure for cost-conscious consumers.
• Amazon (+27 percent) continues to dominate as the world’s biggest e-tailer and saw net sales increase 22 percent in 2013. Nearly every retailer considers it to be a top competitor and its innovations are followed closely. Expanding into online advertising and original programming for its streaming video service, it’s becoming a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.
• Cabela’s (+27 percent), the outdoor and sports retailer, is known for its tourist destination stores that draw millions, but in recent years it’s found success in smaller footprints with more flexible floor plans. While these Outpost stores serve smaller towns, they consistently outperform legacy stores and are expected to be an important growth driver.
New brands and brands that fell off
This is the first year that Canadian brands have been ranked alongside U.S. brands for a North America list. Three Canadian brands make the top 50 for North America: Shoppers Drug Mart (No. 28, -5 percent), Lululemon Athletica (No. 29, -13 percent) and Canadian Tire (No. 38, -3 percent).
There are two other brands that are new to the list for 2014: Chico’s (No. 50) makes the list for the first time and Advance Auto Parts (No. 46) returns to the list after falling off in 2013. The five brands that fell out of the top 50 are Guess, Big Lots, Rent-A-Center, Radio Shack and Anthropologie.
Go here to download the full report and see the complete 50 Most Valuable North American Retail Brands for 2014 list.
