Abstract:
Apple was surpassed by Samsung in terms of brand intimacy for the first time, and the latest report shows that its consumer emotional connection will decline significantly in 2026. Relevant research also points out that rising prices, stagnant wages and economic uncertainty are affecting the overall performance of multiple brands.
According to the annual brand intimacy study released by MBLM, Apple will decline significantly in this ranking based on consumer emotional connection in 2026, and will be surpassed by Samsung for the first time in 16 years of analysis. This study covers 23 industries and a total of 425 brands, focusing on measuring the strength of emotional connections between consumers and brands in dimensions such as nostalgia, enjoyment and identity.
In the latest rankings, Apple ranks seventh in the world and second among technology brands; Samsung rises to third in the world and ranks first among technology brands. The report shows that the gap between Apple and Samsung has opened up by 4 points.
Apple's decline is particularly obvious. MBLM said Apple's overall score in 2025 was 63.7 points, but by 2026 it had dropped to 55.5 points. At the same time, Samsung's score remained stable, with 59.9 points in both 2025 and 2026.
However, the study also emphasized that this does not mean that consumers suddenly "love" Samsung more, but that Samsung has basically maintained its original level during the year. On the other hand, Disney, the highest-ranked company, was not alone, with its score falling 6 points year-on-year.
MBLM believes that changes in the overall environment are an important reason for the weakening of the score this year, including factors such as inflation, stagnant wage growth, and rising uncertainty. Against this background, some consumers prefer brands with higher cost performance and more stable experience, such as Costco, which rose to second place globally and first in the retail industry. Its score also jumped from 41.1 points in 2025 to 60.3 points in 2026.
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