View the full Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report here
As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the global and national economy, the Netherlands’ top 50 most valuable brands could lose up to 16% of brand value cumulatively, a drop of over €21 billion compared to the original valuation date of 1st January 2020, according to the latest Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report.
Looking beyond the Netherlands, the value of the 500 most valuable brands in the world, ranked in the Brand Finance Global 500 2020 league table, could fall by an estimated €1 trillion as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.
Brand Finance has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on 1st January 2020. Based on this impact on enterprise value, Brand Finance estimated the likely impact on brand value for each sector. The industries have been classified into three categories – limited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential brand value growth), moderate impact (up to 10% brand value loss), and heavy impact (up to 20% brand value loss) – based on the level of brand value loss observed for each sector in the first quarter of 2020.
Shell fuels up as nation’s most valuable for 10th year
Following a 18% brand value growth, Shell remains the most valuable brand in the Netherlands for the tenth consecutive year, also ranking 1st in the Brand Finance Oil & Gas 50 ranking for the fifth year, with a brand value of €42.9 billion.
Despite sustained lower oil and gas prices, the Anglo-Dutch titan continues to achieve a significant price and volume premium, a testament to its strong brand. Shell has recently implemented a new strategy to enable the brand to thrive through the transition to a lower-carbon energy system by placing focus on new energy investments to help drive growth over the next few years. However, the oil and gas sector remains plagued by the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
Richard Haigh, Managing Director, Brand Finance commented:
“Despite Shell posting a solid year, the brand, along with the whole sector is now dealing with unparalleled territory. In April 2020, for the first time in history, the price of US oil turned negative. With the oil & gas sector in the heavily impacted bracket, brands could lose up to 20% of their value as demand tumbles”.
KPN is nation’s strongest
In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance also evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer familiarity, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. According to these criteria, KPN is the strongest brand in the Netherlands, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 86.5 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA brand strength rating.
As the leading telecoms and IT provider in the Netherlands, KPN has also been a leader in green energy within the telecoms sector in the country, reaching 100% climate neutrality in 2015 and consistently investing in sustainable technology, resulting in favourable consumer perceptions and strong customer loyalty.
Furthermore, the brand’s long-term investment in customer service and focus on customer satisfaction as a key value driver has bolstered KPN’s brand strength. Brand Finance’s global brand monitor study showcased a clear improvement in the recommendation and loyalty metrics and the marketing funnel – based on familiarity, consideration, preference and recommendation - remained generally very strong.
Brand Finance has calculated that telecoms brands will suffer a limited impact to their brand value due to COVID-19, making KPN’s positive relationship with customers the brand’s ticket to emerge from the crisis relatively unscathed through engaging and promoting its offerings to new and existing markets.
One to watch: NN is fastest growing
Following an impressive 46% brand value increase to €2.5 billion and simultaneously jumping three places in the ranking to 13th position, NN is the fastest growing brand in the Netherlands.
As one of the largest insurance and asset management brands in the country, NN has enjoyed the combined effects of favourable financial outlooks and a 7-point increase to its BSI score, which currently stands at 75.5 out of 100 with a corresponding AA- rating. With customer satisfaction, transparency, and sustainability at the heart of NN’s business model, the brand has benefitted from stronger customer loyalty and recommendation, with its products and reputation commended for their excellent quality.
Over the last year, NN has also reaped the rewards of an investment by activist hedge fund, Elliott Management Corp, who recently disclosed a 3% holding in the brand, outlining their intentions to improve profitability and cut costs through asset sales. With the COVID-19 pandemic jeopardising 20% of cumulative brand value within the Insurance sector, NN’s strong performance over the last year may be what the brand needs to survive its competitors.
View the full Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report here
Note to Editors
Every year, Brand Finance values 5,000 of the world’s biggest brands. The 50 most valuable Dutch brands are included in the Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report.
Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors.
Additional insights, charts, and more information about the methodology, as well as definitions of key terms are available in the Brand Finance Netherlands 50 2020 report.
Data compiled for the Brand Finance rankings and reports are provided for the benefit of the media and are not to be used for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance for more than 25 years, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organizations of all kinds make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance has offices in over 20 countries, offering services on all continents. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 5,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on over 5,000 brands, surveying more than 150,000 respondents across 38 countries and 31 industry sectors. Combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database enables Brand Finance to arm brand leaders with the data and analytics they need to enhance brand and business value.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm, leading the standardization of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
