It’s been a record-breaking year for companies in the Kantar BrandZ 2021 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking, despite the unprecedented economic downturn brought on by the pandemic. Kantar reports 42% overall BrandZ growth for the top 100 brands—$2.1 trillion dollars over the past year—and a growth rate 4.5 times the average over the past 15 years. 

The tech sector dominated, as tech companies took seven of the top 10 spots on the list. Amazon, whose value rose 64% to $648 billion, held on to the No. 1 spot. Apple, up 74% to $612 billion, and Google, rising 42% to $458 billion, came in second and third. Rounding out the top 10 are Microsoft, Tencent, Facebook, Alibaba, Visa, McDonald's and Mastercard. 

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Tesla, ranked 47, made the list for the first time, earning the top spot for growth with a 275% increase to $42 billion. Zoom, valued at $37 billion, debuted at number 52 after a year of pandemic life transformed the video conferencing platform into a combination classroom-cocktail bar-wedding venue-gym and more. 

New sectors appeared in the ranking as well—including media and entertainment, consumer technology, and business solutions and technology providers—reflecting the pandemic-driven evolution to virtual work and play. 

U.S. brands, which increased 46% in value, account for 74% of the top 100 companies' total value. The value of Chinese companies represents 14 percent, while European companies represent 8 percent—down from 20 percent from 2011. Four Chinese companies more than doubled their BrandZ value: TikTok, up 158%; Pinduoduo, up 131%; Meituan, up 119%; and Moutai, up 103%—ranking second through fifth for percentage of growth after Tesla.

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