Why Aren’t Turkish Brands in the Global Arena?
- Gökhan Korkmaz
- Mar 19
- 3 min read
The “Global500 - The World’s Most Valuable 500 Brands 2025” report published by Brand Finance highlights the current state of global brands while presenting a thought-provoking picture for Turkey. In the report, Apple tops the list with a brand value of $574.5 billion, followed by Microsoft at $461.1 billion and Google at $413 billion. However, unfortunately, no Turkish brands made it onto the list. This situation underscores Turkey’s significant shortcomings in creating global brands. But why?
1. The Power Behind Brand Value
Creating global brand value requires more than just producing good products. The success of giants like Apple, Google, and Microsoft is not solely due to the products or services they offer. These brands share common traits: they focus on innovation, invest heavily in marketing, build customer loyalty, and have a clear vision for international markets.
When looking at Turkish brands, we see that despite their strong presence in the domestic market, they fail to achieve the same level of success internationally. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of long-term investment in branding. Short-term sales goals and a focus on local success make it difficult to build global brands.
2. The Most Valuable Global and Turkish Brands
The Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands of 2025:
1. Apple – $574.5 billion
2. Microsoft – $461.1 billion
3. Google – $413 billion
4. Amazon – $396.4 billion
5. Samsung – $121.1 billion
6. Walmart – $114.7 billion
7. Facebook (Meta) – $111.7 billion
8. ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) – $97.7 billion
9. Verizon – $94.3 billion
10. Tesla – $91.5 billion
Turkey’s Most Valuable Brands:
1. Turkish Airlines – $1.985 billion
2. Arçelik – $1.265 billion
3. Vestel – $917 million
4. TOGG – Although no official brand value has been announced yet, it is considered one of Turkey’s top global brand candidates.
These figures clearly show that for Turkish brands to compete on the global stage, they must make larger-scale investments.
3. Why Aren’t Turkish Brands in the Global Arena?
Innovation and R&D Investments:
Global giants allocate a significant portion of their annual revenue to R&D. For example, Apple spent $27 billion on R&D in 2024. In Turkey, R&D investments primarily focus on production and technological adaptation. However, to create real innovation, more resources must be dedicated to this area.
International Marketing Strategies:
While Turkish brands implement aggressive advertising strategies in the domestic market, they fail to be effective globally. For instance, although Arçelik operates in multiple countries, it has not established a “global brand” perception. To gain a strong presence on the world stage, a brand must not only export but also build a global identity.
Digitalization and Technology Adoption:
It is evident that Turkish brands are lagging behind in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, and digital marketing. Today, global giants effectively utilize these technologies to personalize customer experiences, enhance consumer loyalty, and strengthen their brands. Turkish brands must prioritize these areas.
4. What Needs to Be Done for the Future?
For Turkish brands to be more visible on the global stage, the following steps must be taken:
• Promoting a Culture of Innovation:
Turkish companies must invest more in R&D and innovation. However, this should not only be a strategy for large brands—SMEs should also adopt this approach.
• Long-Term Branding Strategies:
Turkish companies must develop marketing strategies that focus on building brand value rather than just driving sales. Advertising alone is not enough; efforts should be made to enhance storytelling, customer experience, and sustainable brand value.
• Increased Government Support and Incentives:
Many countries encourage international branding efforts through government support. Turkey should also increase its support for global brand creation and develop long-term policies.
• Investment in Education and Human Resources:
Global success requires not only good products or services but also a skilled workforce to manage them. Turkey must train more experts in brand management, marketing, and innovation.
Change Is Necessary to Keep Up in Global Competition
There are several reasons why Turkey has not been able to create global brands: short-term thinking, lack of innovation, failure to keep up with digitalization, and ineffective international marketing strategies. However, this situation can change. To compete globally, Turkish brands must take bolder, long-term, and more strategic steps.
For Turkish brands to reach their rightful place on the global stage, a more conscious, innovative, and proactiveapproach is essential. Gaining a strong position in the international market is not just about offering a good product—it requires telling a compelling story and creating an emotional connection with consumers. Turkey has great potential, but transforming this potential into strong brands requires action today.
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