Nvidia Enters Interbrand's Global Top 10 as Tesla and Toyota Lose Value

A widening gap between strong brands and growing brands

Interbrand, which describes itself as the world's leading brand consultancy, published the annual report on Oct. 28, 2026. It says the results reveal a widening gap between brands that turn brand strength into growth and those that rely on reputation alone.

According to the report, strong brands are no longer automatically rewarded with stronger growth. Brands that benefited from AI investment, product demand and expanding markets delivered some of the largest gains. Others with long-established brand equity struggled against changing consumer expectations and difficult market conditions.

Gonzalo Brujó, Global CEO of Interbrand, said: "The brands pulling ahead today are those using 'brand' as a business tool, not simply an asset."

Technology and AI drive the gains

Technology remains the biggest driver of value creation in this year's ranking, with AI continuing to reshape markets and create new leaders, Interbrand says. Nvidia (#6) increased its brand value by more than 71%, making it the fastest growing brand of the year, and joined the Top 10.

Google is at #3. YouTube (#10), Netflix (#23) and Spotify (#39) all posted significant gains. Entertainment also overtook Automotive as the second most valuable sector.

Interbrand adds a caution: the data suggests technology companies are creating revenue faster than they build emotional connection and long-term brand preference. It argues this underlines the need for sustained brand investment even during periods of explosive growth.

Automotive struggles, luxury splits

Automotive recorded the sharpest sector decline. Average brand value across the category fell, and Interbrand says manufacturers find it increasingly hard to turn innovation into meaningful differentiation. Toyota (#9) remained the highest-ranked automotive brand but saw its brand value fall by almost 20%. Tesla (#50) dropped 25 places and lost almost 38% of its brand value, one of the biggest declines in the ranking.

Hyundai (#29), Kia (#87), BYD (#89) and Ferrari (#51) continued to outperform much of the sector. Interbrand attributes this to clearer propositions and stronger reasons for consumers to choose them.

Luxury remains one of the strongest sectors, but the report describes a growing divide between brands rising and declining in value. Hermès (#15) strengthened its position, and Chanel (#24), Cartier (#69) and Tiffany & Co. (#91) also grew. Interbrand says heritage stays valuable only when paired with cultural relevance, desirability and a customer experience that justifies premium pricing.

New entrants and what winners share

Four brands entered the ranking: Zurich (#58), Hitachi (#90), GE Healthcare (#95) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (#99). Interbrand says they show how focused propositions, strong commercial performance and category leadership can open the way into its Top 100.

The report states that the strongest performers are not necessarily the biggest or best known. Greg Silverman, Global Director of Brand Economics at Interbrand, said the fastest growing brands "have made Iconic Moves to operate in arenas outside of their core businesses."

For marketers and investors, the message from Interbrand is that brand reputation alone does not guarantee value growth. The full report is available for download from Interbrand.