World Brand Lab Releases Asia's 500 Most Influential Brands 2026

On September 20, 2026, the World Brand Lab released the 21st edition of the Asia's 500 Most Influential Brands of 2026 at the Asia Brand Summit in Hong Kong. The list, which includes 223 brands from China, 127 from Japan, and 42 from South Korea, highlights the growing influence of Chinese brands, with 180 brands from mainland China accounting for 44.60% of the entire list. This marks a significant increase in national brand loyalty, with mainland Chinese consumers' enthusiasm for local brands rising from 36% a decade ago to 73% this year, ranking third among all countries.

Professor Steve Woolgar, Chairman of the World Brand Lab Academic Committee, highlighted that Asia, with its 4.87 billion people, accounts for about 60% of the world's population. He noted that the focus should be on China rather than India, as foreign brands can gain higher returns due to China's strong infrastructure, large middle class, and well-established supply chain system.

This year's list includes brands from 37 industries, with finance being the largest industry, contributing 72 brands. Information technology follows closely with 64 brands, while media, food and beverage, and automobiles contribute 44, 39, and 31 brands, respectively. Among the Chinese brands that performed well are Tencent, Haier, Huawei, China Mobile, AIA, Douyin, Feihe, JOMOO, and Erdos. According to the World Brand Lab, compared to the U.S., technology brands in Asian countries are weaker, and compared to Europe, luxury brands in Asian countries are weaker.

The World Brand Lab has conducted consumer loyalty surveys across Asian countries for 14 consecutive years. The results show that Japanese consumers continue to have the highest national brand loyalty at 85%, followed by Korea with 74%. Mainland Chinese consumers' enthusiasm for local brands continues to rise, growing from 36% a decade ago to 73% this year, ranking third. The list includes 48 new brands, with the largest number of new brands coming from mainland China, totaling 27.

This year's list also incorporates the AI Influence Index for the first time, indicating that a higher index suggests a stronger voice and greater visibility within the AI ecosystem. The inclusion of this metric reflects the increasing importance of AI in brand building and consumer engagement. The World Brand Lab, wholly owned by the leading digital technology and strategic consulting company World Executive Group, has become an essential reference for intangible asset valuation in mergers and acquisitions.

Dr. John Deighton noted that AI is changing the basic logic of brand building, emphasizing the importance of good marketing as a conversation and the role of brands as carriers of reputation. Dr. Ziv Carmon highlighted the potential of AI tools to create agile responsiveness and new forms of value, while also warning of the psychological backlash brands may face when consumers feel their autonomy is being reduced. Dr. Sara Kim stressed the need for companies to undertake a fundamental transformation of their organizational structures to adapt to the AI-driven business landscape.

The release of the Asia's 500 Most Influential Brands of 2026 underscores the evolving dynamics of brand influence in the Asian market, particularly the growing importance of China and the integration of AI in brand leadership.