We published the first version of this article almost 10 years ago. At the time, the 2016 Interbrand Best Global Brands ranking was the most recent one and, according to it, Disney was the most valuable brand in the world, followed by Discovery and MTV.
Much has changed since then.
First, Discovery and MTV disappeared from the Interbrand’s list of 100 most valuable brands a few years ago. Despite their iconic status, they have lost relevance and, as a result, their financial value has decreased substantially.
Second, three “new” media brands have entered the Interbrand ranking: Netflix in 2017, Spotify in 2019 and YouTube in 2020.
Third, the biggest change in this year’s ranking is that, for the first time in the past decade, Disney is no longer the most valuable media brand. YouTube has overtaken it.
If you are wondering why we have not included Apple, Amazon or Instagram in this article, despite their higher brand values, it is because we made the assumption that, to be considered a media brand, a company needs to generate most of its revenue from a broadcasting or streaming business.
No. 4 Spotify – unlocking the potential of human creativity
Spotify was founded in 2006 and officially launched in 2008. Within its first decade, it entered Interbrand’s list of the 100 most valuable global brands, becoming for millennials arguably what MTV was for Gen X in the 1990s – the ultimate destination for music and cultural discovery. In recent years, Spotify has significantly expanded its scope and now positions itself as a global audio platform. In addition to music, it integrates podcasts and audiobooks, making it one of the largest podcasting platforms in the world and a growing player in audiobooks.
Spotify articulates its corporate mission as “unlocking the potential of human creativity – by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it”. While this originally focused on musicians, it now extends to podcasters and authors as well. Recognising that music, podcasts and audiobooks accompany people throughout their day, Spotify positions itself as the soundtrack to people’s lives, defining its brand proposition as “the right music or podcast for every moment”, an evolution from its earlier promise of “the right music for every moment”.
No. 3 Netflix – entertaining the world, one fan at a time
Netflix was first launched in 1997 and is a prime example of a company that successfully underwent a radical digital transformation. Originally founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, Netflix initially offered a subscription-based DVD rental service before transitioning to streaming in 2007. Today, it is not only the biggest video streaming service but also one of the most significant content producers, responsible for creating series such as “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Orange Is the New Black”, “The Crown” and “Stranger Things”. It defines itself as “one of the world’s leading entertainment services”.
Despite changes to its business strategy, Netflix’s core product proposition has remained largely consistent over the years: “movie enjoyment made easy”. Everything Netflix does aims to enhance both user engagement (through great content and sophisticated algorithms that help users discover content they’ll likely enjoy) and ease of use (with continuous improvements to its user experience and multi-device availability).
Previously, the company defined its purpose as “Connecting people with stories” and emphasised the role stories play in people’s lives. More recently, Netflix has shifted its focus to the theme of entertainment, highlighting its cultural impact through the attribute of fandom (“When our series and films become cultural moments, you can feel it across music, books, fashion, travel and more.”)
Its current brand purpose is articulated as “Entertaining the world, one fan at a time”.
No. 2 Disney – creating happiness through magical storytelling.
Disney is an iconic megabrand with heritage dating back to 1923. The animation studio the Disney brothers started has evolved into a multinational entertainment company with a diverse business portfolio spanning television channels, film studios, publishing, games, apps, toys, apparel, theme parks, online stores, streaming services as well as a number of diverse franchises, such as Mickey Mouse, Frozen and Star Wars. Yet it has achieved what many companies struggle with, namely brand consistency and coherence despite a complex organisational structure and a business model that relies heavily on licensing.
The Walt Disney Company defines its mission in its corporate communications as “to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling”. In communications targeted at end consumers, the brand’s tone of voice is significantly more emotional, with a strong emphasis on the promise of happiness and “Disney magic”. Disney promises an escape from everyday life into a magical world filled with unforgettable characters, where dreams come true and stories end happily.
Despite its strong appeal to children, Disney is fundamentally a family brand. It inspires kids and stimulates their imagination, while also creating a sense of nostalgia among parents by bringing back memories of a simpler, more innocent childhood. Targeting both children and adults has proved to be a sound business strategy for Disney, as the brand’s broader appeal leads to a wider range of commercial opportunities.
No. 1 YouTube – giving everyone a voice and showing them the world
YouTube positions itself on several levels: as a service for uploading, sharing and watching videos, as a content distribution platform for creators and advertisers and as a space where people can “connect, inform, and inspire others”. Its mission defined as “giving everyone a voice and showing them the world” reflects the belief that the world is better when everyone can share their stories.
Often described as “the home of video”, YouTube hosts a wide range of content genres, from music and tutorials to vlogs and livestreams. In its early years, its identity was strongly tied to user-generated content, which was often perceived as low quality. In an attempt to improve this perception, the platform experimented with more professional formats and sought to attract A-list talent from traditional media. This approach did not deliver the expected results, as users were not looking for conventional content on YouTube and it did little to strengthen the platform’s uniqueness. Instead, YouTube’s differentiation came from its community of creators, or “YouTubers”, who built their own audiences on the platform.
If you would like to read the complete brand strategy case studies on these four media brands, as well as many more such as HBO, Hulu, Discovery, MTV, TLC, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or Sky, join BrandStruck today.
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Magda Adamska is the founder of BrandStruck.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/magda-adamska-32379048/
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