One Delaware brand on Top 500 list but California has the most top brand names

Brand Finance, a brand valuation company, has chosen DuPont as one of the country’s Top 500 brands.
Each year, Brand Finance evaluates brands worldwide to determine which are the most powerful and valuable, and it also chooses the 500 most valuable American brands.

DuPont is the only Delaware brand to make the list, with a brand value of $2.3 billion, 21 percent lower than in 2015.  It is Number 273 on the national list this year, down from Number 204 last year. California is the state with the most brands on the list at 72. New York is second with 68, but the California brands have a total value of $650 billion, far higher than New York’s $452 billion total. California was helped along by Silicon Valley brands such as first-place brand Apple, Google and Facebook.

Disney is the 14th most valuable brand on the list, but it is the country’s most powerful brand. That valuation is based on its rich history, original creations and its many acquisitions such as Lucasfilm. Brand Finance has estimated the value of the Lucasfilm’s Star Wars brand to be $10 billion, dwarfing the $4.05 billion Disney paid for Lucasfilm in 2012.

Skechers is the fastest growing brand this year, nearly doubling in value from 2015 to 2016. Skechers’ is seen as more easy-going and inclusive than Nike and Adidas, which in contrast focus on technical performance and competitiveness. Its shoes are also more diverse, with lines for work, sport, casual fashion, kids and casual fashion. Its brand value is up 93 percent from 2015 to $2.6 billion. Endorsement deals with celebrities such Demi Lovato and Megan Trainor have reinforced its down to earth image, resonating particularly with younger, female consumers in particular.

“The growth of Skechers’ brand this year demonstrates that tech isn’t the only sector where rapid economic gains can be made,” said David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance. “Skechers’ focus on brand shows that, with the right strategy and investment, even firms in well-established, competitive industries can grow brand value to boost revenues and most importantly profitability.”

Coca-Cola was the world’s most valuable brand in 2007, with a  brand value of $43.1 billion. It is beginning to falter. It’s brand value is down 5 percent since last year to $34.2 billion, as concerns over the links between soda and obesity have begun to undermine what the brand has represented for more than 100 years.