The world as we see it.
First off: Who the hell comes up with all these lists? Are they credible whatsoever? Is it just unbridled, rando list’o’mania? Well, this one probably is the real deal. Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation and strategy “consultancy.” It has offices in more than 15 countries, and it actually helped to craft the internationally recognized standard on brand valuation (ISO 10668). So, these guys and gals probably know their shit (if anyone does).
And every year, Brand Finance goes out into this shit show we call a world and values the brands of thousands of the globe’s biggest companies. The firm just released the world’s 50 most valuable spirits brands as well as its “Brand Finance Beers 25.” From the press release:
The world’s most valuable beer brand is Bud Light. It is also the fastest growing major beer brand this year, up 34% to US$ 6.6 billion. Sister brand Budweiser is in second place at US$5.9 billion. Anheuser Busch courted controversy with its Superbowl ad, ‘Born the Hard Way’. The cinematic spot emphasized Budweiser’s heritage and the perseverance of its founder, but drew the ire of Trump supporters who called for a boycott of the brand for what they saw as thinly veiled pro-immigrant propaganda. This does not appear to have had any lasting damage however, with brand value up 30%.
Heineken is in 3rd place again with a brand value growth of 22% to US$5.2 billion. Heineken is a major global sponsor, particularly of sports. It has a longstanding relationship with the UEFA Champions League, however Heineken is slowly shifting its focus away from football which it sees as ‘totally overcrowded’ with competitor’s brands making differentiation difficult. It is instead developing its involvement with F1 and has renewed its association with rugby by announcing that it will be the headline sponsor of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
So did your favorite beer brand make the Top 25? God no! Unless you like giant Asian beer rollups, Dutch dynasty brands or Natural Light. Wait? Natty Light made the list? Jesus, Nietzsch was right.
Brand Finance Beers 25
|
Rank
|
Brand Value  (USD $ Millions)
|
Brand rating
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2017
|
2016
|
Logo
|
Name
|
Country
|
2017
|
2016
|
2017
|
2016
|
| 1 | 1 |  |
Bud Light |  |
6,608 | 4,922 | AAA- | AA+ |
| 2 | 2 |  |
Budweiser | |
5,863 | 4,503 | AAA- | AA+ |
| 3 | 3 |  |
Heineken |  |
5,237 | 4,326 | AA | AA- |
| 4 | 6 |  |
Brahma |  |
3,148 | 2,543 | AAA | AAA |
| 5 | 4 |  |
Skol | |
3,071 | 3,432 | AAA | AAA- |
| 6 | 5 |  |
Asahi |  |
3,044 | 3,345 | AA- | A |
| 7 | 10 |  |
Corona Extra |  |
2,394 | 1,972 | AA+ | AA+ |
| 8 | 8 |  |
Guinness |  |
2,299 | 2,185 | AAA- | AAA- |
| 9 | 7 |  |
Kirin | |
2,286 | 2,359 | A- | A- |
| 10 | 11 |  |
Miller Lite | |
2,195 | 1,826 | AA- | AA |
| 11 | 13 |  |
Coors | |
2,106 | 1,591 | AA+ | A+ |
| 12 | 9 |  |
Harbin Beer |  |
2,091 | 2,072 | AA+ | AA+ |
| 13 | 12 |  |
Snow | |
1,844 | 1,659 | AA- | AA- |
| 14 | 16 |  |
Antarctica | |
1,429 | 1,259 | AAA | AAA |
| 15 | 21 |  |
Stella Artois |  |
1,390 | 1,054 | AA+ | AA+ |
| 16 | 15 |  |
Busch | |
1,333 | 1,387 | AA- | AA+ |
| 17 | 14 |  |
Tecate | |
1,215 | 1,454 | AA+ | AA+ |
| 18 | – |  |
Peroni Nastro Azzurro | |
1,193 | – | AA- | – |
| 19 | 19 |  |
Carlsberg |  |
1,116 | 1,128 | AA- | AA- |
| 20 | – |  |
Amstel | |
1,070 | – | AA- | – |
| 21 | 24 |  |
Natural | |
1,047 | 940 | AA- | AA |
| 22 | 22 |  |
Cass |  |
1,000 | 1,023 | AA- | AA |
| 23 | 20 |  |
Tsingtao | |
981 | 1,112 | AA | – |
| 24 | – | Carling | |
947 | – | AAA- | – | |
| 25 | 25 |  |
Sol | |
904 | 895 | AA- | A- |
