Gucci leads the first BrandZTM Top 30 Most Valuable Italian 2018 Brands

Gucci leads the first BrandZTM Top 30 Most Valuable Italian 2018 Brands.

2018 Gucci Eyewear campaign; image source: facebook.com/GUCCI/

There are seven leading luxury brands in the Italian Top 30. Together, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Fendi and Ferragamo contribute $28.9 billion to the total brand value of the ranking.

Within the automotive industry, Ferrari revs ahead with its brand representation of performance driving.The concentration of premium brands is in contrast with Spain’s focus on affordable fashion andGermany’s concentration on technology and engineering.

Luxury fashion house Gucci leads the first BrandZTM Top 30 Most Valuable Italian 2018 Brands ranking released by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown. It is one of the seven luxury brands to feature inthis ground-breaking study, which tracks and addresses the changing environment for brands in Italyand charts the fortunes of the country’s most successful brands.

Gucci tops the ranking with a brand value of $16.3 billion, followed by telecom provider brand TIM at$9.3 billion and energy company Enel in third place at $7.4 billion. Coming in at number four is foodand dairy brand Kinder at $6.9 billion, with luxury fashion brand Prada taking the final spot in the Top 5at $4.0 billion.

Most Valuable Italian Brands in 2018; image source: millwardbrown.com

The BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Italian Brands 2018:

1 Gucci (Category: Luxury);
2 TIM (Category: Telecom Providers);
3 Enel (Category: Energy) ;
4 Kinder (Category: Food & Dairy);
5 Prada (Category: Luxury);
6 Ferrari (Category: Cars);
7 Eni (Category: Oil & Gas)
8 Nutella (Category: Food & Dairy);
9 Generali (Category: Insurance);
10 Armani (Category: Luxury);
11 Ferrero Rocher Food & Dairy
12 Intesa Sanpaolo (Category: Banks)
13 Bottega Veneta (Category: Luxury)
14 Costa Cruises (Category: Cruises)
15 UniCredit (Category: Banks);

A new interpretation of the classic Prada monkey symbol on a #PradaFW18 printed leather shoulder bag

A new interpretation of the classic Prada monkey symbol on a Prada Fall Winter 2018 printed leather shoulder bag; image: prada

Key trends highlighted in the BrandZ Italian Top 30 study include:

Brands with purpose. Buyers of everything from coffee to couture now expect goods that are produced in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible way and brands have responded. Italian brands are amongst the most Purposeful in Europe and even globally, significantly outperforming brands in Spain and the UK. For Purpose, Italy is ranked 4th – outpaced only by the BrandZ Top 30 Global, USA and Germany rankings.

The power of ‘Brand Italy’. Italian products are highly regarded around the world, particularly when linked to food, wine and fashion. Italian brands that want to leverage this reputation will need to think not just about how to promote their Italian heritage, but also how to establish their authenticity.

Adapting to new markets. Some Italian brands have mastered the art of staying true to their beliefs while also adapting for export. Bakery brand Corsini, founded in Tuscany in 1921, for example, makes oversized cantuccini biscuits for Starbucks to go with coffee chain’s extra-large coffee servings.