Which is the most agile brand in the market today? According to research by brand consultancy and design firm Landor, Samsung is tops in its list of today’s 10 most agile brands—outranking Apple, Amazon, and Google. Landor views brand agility as an indicator of a brand’s strength and financial success.
According to Landor, there are six traits that agile brands share: adaptive, global, multichannel, open, principled, responsible. The most agile brands will consistently demonstrate these traits in everything from advertising to customer interactions to product development. Landor’s research finds that each of the top 10 most agile brands cited in its inaugural Global Brand Agility Study embodies all six qualities, but demonstrates them differently, depending on their industry and target customers.
Another important asset these brands share, notes Landor CEO Lois Jacobs, is the ability to stay true to their core values while changing and innovating to adapt to fast-changing market demands and customer expectations.
Landor’s choices for the top 10 most agile global brands today:
Samsung: According to Landor, Samsung lives its mission to make the world a better place through technological innovation. That innovation shows through in its computers, smartphones, and TVs, as well as through its applications.
Android: Android’s tagline, “Be together. Not the same.” guides the designs of everything from its operating system to its component for wearable tech, Landor says—all with the aim of helping end customers use Android products in ways that suit their personal preferences.
Wikipedia: The world’s largest crowdsourced encyclopedia is available in more than 291 languages and has more than 440 million users a month.
Google: Far more than the leading online search engine, Google weaves innovation into tech-focused products such as Google Glass and self-driving cars, Landor notes.
Dyson: From high-powered hand dryers to high-end vacuum cleaners, Dyson is a global powerhouse whose products are known for their quality and design. The company has 1,000 engineers worldwide dedicated to innovation.
Apple: The global tech company has stayed true to its core mission of simplicity through innovation in everything from the Apple Watch to the iPhone to the MacBook. Plus, it’s set the standard for customer experience in such diverse areas as music, retail, and telecommunications.
YouTube: The online video platform has become far more than just a place for users to share videos; it enables everyday people to become social media personalities who are a new type of celebrity—in some cases popular enough to attract brand sponsors.
Microsoft: There are companies that have boasted a market-leading position like Microsoft that are gone today because they got complacent. Not Microsoft, according to Landor. The tech giant adapts to consumer demands, course-corrects when products miss the mark, and continues to innovate to stay relevant.
Ikea: In a list of tech-centric leaders, furniture and home décor behemoth Ikea stands out by staying true to its promise of helping customers create “happy everyday lifestyles.” One way it does this is by being a global brand that’s locally relevant, offering different products and services based on the needs of the region it’s serving.
Disney: Creativity and imagination have been Disney’s mainstays, and, according to Landor, those qualities enable the brand to stay agile and innovate. Everything from enchanting movies and thrilling theme parks, Disney remains true to its brand promise of delivering magical family experiences—doing so today with technologies such as the wearable MagicBand and the MyMagic+ app.
