Brand standings
How winning brands are climbing the ranks
As we delve into the latest rankings of the most chosen brands across the world, a few key players stand out for their remarkable achievements. At the pinnacle of the list, Coca-Cola reigns supreme, solidifying its status as the world’s most chosen brand with a staggering Consumer Reach Point (CRP) of 8.29 billion.
Meanwhile, Colgate sets a benchmark for global penetration, being the only consumer goods brand purchased by over half of the global population, boasting a penetration rate of 55.9%.
Not to be outdone, Red Bull emerges as the year’s standout performer, demonstrating the most significant growth among global brands. With a 17.8% increase in CRP, it has climbed six spots in the rankings, a testament to its growing appeal and strategic market manoeuvres. We explore the Red Bull story in detail later in this chapter.
Red Bull emerges as the year’s standout performer, demonstrating the most significant growth among global brands
This year’s list highlights the tough landscape for brand competition. It saw just one new entry into the top 50 — congratulations to Haribo for earning position 50 and making the list for the first time. Despite this apparent stability within the group, there was considerable movement in the rankings of the top 50 brands as they fought to maintain a place in the average consumer’s 62 yearly brand picks.
As we explore these rankings, we uncover the stories of large and small players, each carving out success.
It isn’t just that Max Verstappen, with his three Formula 1 world championships, crosses the finish line in a blur of speed and colour, sending crowds into a frenzy. It’s that every turn he takes, every race he dominates, is a testament to a brand that’s become as much a part of Formula 1 as the checkered flag itself.
The tale of Red Bull, the brand sprawled across his car, is written in the skid marks on the racetrack and the clouds of dust on the back roads of extreme sports. It’s a story of adrenaline, where courage meets grit. Whether it’s a skier hurling themselves down a precipice or a pilot threading a stunt plane through the eye of an eclipse, Red Bull is there, a faithful companion to the brave. And it’s increasingly in the hands of consumers worldwide as they embrace the brand in new ways, and in new places.
Winning hearts and minds
When Netflix flung the doors wide open on the spectacle of Formula 1 with its "Drive to Survive" series, the world paid attention, and Red Bull was ready. The circuits in Miami and Las Vegas weren't just new stops on the map but golden opportunities to market. Here was America, a land yet to fully embrace Formula 1, now getting a taste of the speed, the noise, the sheer spectacle. And with it, a bigger taste for Red Bull.
Building its Presence
In 2023, Red Bull's success was loud and clear. Selected by 9.6% of global households, Red Bull became the 20th most chosen FMCG brand globally. Its consumer reach points expanded by 17.8%, with a staggering 12,138 billion cans sold. Turnover surged by 9% to EUR 10,554 billion. These strides forward are the kind that redefine the market landscape.
Red Bull holds the title of the #1 most chosen energy drink brand worldwide.
Finding New Space
Amidst these significant figures, Red Bull innovated with its Organics by Red Bull line. Flavours like Simply Cola and Ginger Ale make bold statements—each can a tribute to the natural, crafted without artificial additives.
The brand also launched a limited edition range, offering the same energy-boosting benefits as the original but with new taste profiles. The Red Bull Editions feature flavours including Tropical Fruits, Coconut and Berry, Cactus Fruit, Watermelon, and more, catering to diverse palates while delivering the signature Red Bull energy.
The strategy remains bold and expansive as the brand carves out new geographic space and also space in the baskets and minds of consumers in key markets. In Western Europe and the United States, Red Bull solidified its foothold as it ventured deeper into developing markets with space to grow.
71% of Red Bull’s markets experienced notable penetration growth, particularly in key areas such as the US, Germany, and Brazil
Worldpanel´s Demand Moments data — a view into the circumstances of consumption — reveals that Red Bull isn't just for energy — it's increasingly chosen for moments of relaxation and unwinding. Apparently, the drink is not just for party time and an extra rush of energy, it’s also a gateway to relaxation.
Every sponsored event and extreme challenge under the Red Bull banner is more than marketing; it’s a gathering of its tribe. It tells of a brand that does more than market a drink — it inspires and dares. In its own words, it gives you wings.
Since its first appearance in the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands report in 2009, Red Bull has consistently featured and shown remarkable growth in brand value. In 2023, it reached an impressive $18.554 billion and continues to grow as a distinctive presence in the energy drink space and beyond.
The approach to assessing brand value combines up-to-date financial analysis of the brand with evaluations of brand equity to gauge the strength of a brand’s connection with its consumers. This connection has been meticulously cultivated for Red Bull through strategic marketing investments and a clear, compelling brand message.
Red Bull has consistently positioned itself above traditional soft drinks, adopting premium pricing that reflects its unique value proposition. This strategy is supported by a clear message that resonates deeply with consumers: Red Bull catalyses the extraordinary in sports and life. This unique global association with extreme sports and contemporary culture has enabled Red Bull to achieve steady growth by creating more demand without compromising its premium pricing.
Consistency in growing up with a generation of drinkers — while constantly recruiting more — has also been a key to Red Bull’s success. BrandZ’s dimensional examination of Red Bull through the lens of being “meaningfully different” found that it has remained ‘highly different’ compared to other brands in the soft drinks sector and ‘meaningful’ to an expanding audience year over year.
These dimensions of ‘difference’ and ‘meaningfulness’ are crucial, forming a strategy in which Red Bull is seen as distinct, integral, and relevant to its consumers’ lives.
Indeed, Red Bull’s core brand associations, “distinctive” and “disruptive,” have been consistent since BrandZ first measured the brand in 1998. Managing to stay relevant and unique over decades is no small feat; it requires a deep understanding of market dynamics and consumer desires.
Red Bull’s ability to continuously refresh its marketing execution without altering the brand’s essence is a model of how to remain meaningfully different in a competitive market.
