London-based Brand Finance, a leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy, named Disney the world’s most powerful brand.
Every year, Brand Finance evaluates thousands of global brands to determine which are the most powerful, measuring factors such as familiarity, loyalty and promotion, among others.
Disney landed in the No. 1 spot for 2016, with Brand Finance noting that the Company’s strength is “founded on its rich history and original creations, however its now dominant position is the result of its many acquisitions and the powerful brands it has brought under its control.”
Alongside ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm as members of the Disney family, the successful release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens propelled the Company to the top of Brand Finance’s “World’s Most Powerful Brands” list.
The latest film in the Star Wars universe has been a smash hit around the world and reached stellar heights in the toy and consumer products sector, to boot. The Force Awakens has taken in more than $2 billion at the global box office and the franchise’s toys have generated more than $700 million.