How long have the world’s most valuable brands been in business? The 100 companies that earned a spot on Forbes’s annual The World’ Most Valuable Brands list are represented on this timeline that charts when each of these 100 companies were founded. It’s no surprise to see that almost half of the brands on this list are more than 100 years old, with the oldest company having spent an impressive 221 years in business. But this chart weaves an interesting narrative of when certain industries began to grow in popularity and which brands in these industries rose to the top over time. Financial institutions were some of the earliest and most successful companies of the past 200-plus years. While technology companies have only entered the market over the past few decades, they have seen tremendous success while rising straight to the top of the most valuable brands in the world.

Which Brand Is the Oldest?

The oldest company on the list of the most valuable brands is Chase, which was founded 221 years ago. Established in 1799, Chase was originally known as the Bank of the Manhattan Company, and it’s the third oldest banking corporation in the United States and the 31^st oldest bank in the world.

The average age of the 100 most valuable brands in the world is an incredible 89.43 years, with 40 of the top brands having been founded more than 100 years ago.

What Are the 10 Oldest Brands?

1. Chase (1799): 221 years old
2. Colgate (1806): 214 years old
3. Citi (1812): 208 years old
4. Hermès (1837): 183 years old
5. John Deere (1837): 183 years old
6. Siemens (1847): 173 years old
7. Cartier (1847): 173 years old
8. American Express (1850): 170 years old
9. Wells Fargo (1852): 168 years old
10. Louis Vuitton (1854): 166 years old

In Which Industries Will You Find the 100 Most Valuable Brands?

The most common industry among the 100 most valuable brands is technology, with 20 of the brands falling under this category. This is also the industry where the most valuable brands are found, claiming six out of the top 10.

The financial services, automotive, and consumer packaged goods industries are also strongly represented in this list, with 13, 11, and ten brands each, respectively.

Below is a breakdown of all of the industries represented on our list and the number of brands found in each:

1. Technology: 20 brands
2. Financial Services: 13 brands
3. Automotive: 11 brands
4. Consumer Packaged Goods: 10 brands
5. Retail: 8 brands
6. Luxury: 6 brands
7. Beverages: 4 brands
8. Diversified: 4 brands
9. Alcohol: 3 brands
10. Apparel: 3 brands
11. Business Services: 3 brands
12. Restaurants: 3 brands
13. Telecom: 3 brands
14. Heavy Equipment: 2 brands
15. Leisure: 2 brands
16. Media: 2 brands
17. Transportation: 2 brands
18. Tobacco: 1 brand

What Are the 10 Most Valuable Brands in the World?

Together, the 100 richest companies in the world have a combined value of $2.33 trillion dollars, with $937.3 billion of that total value contributed by just these top ten brands:

1. Apple: $205.5 billion
2. Google: $167.7 billion
3. Microsoft: $125.3 billion
4. Amazon: $97 billion
5. Facebook: $88.9 billion
6. Coca-Cola: $59.2 billion
7. Samsung: $53.1 billion
8. Disney: $52.2 billion
9. Toyota: $44.6 billion
10. McDonald’s: $43.8 billion