Apple's brand intimacy score dropped from 63.7 in 2025 to 55.5 in 2026, marking a significant decline. In contrast, Samsung's score remained stable at 59.9 for both years, allowing the South Korean company to overtake Apple for the first time in 16 years of analysis.
The latest MBLM annual brand intimacy study, which analyzed 425 brands across 23 industries, evaluates emotional connections based on dimensions such as nostalgia, pleasure, and identity. In the current rankings, Samsung is now ranked third globally and first among technology brands, while Apple is seventh globally and second in the tech sector.
The gap between Apple and Samsung in this metric has reached 4 points. Other major brands also experienced declines, including Disney, whose score dropped by 6 points year-over-year.
MBLM attributes the overall decline in scores across various brands is due to inflation, stagnant wages, and rising economic uncertainty. This environment has shifted consumer preference toward brands offering better value, such as Costco, which rose to second place globally and first in retail, with its score increasing from 41.1 in 2025 to 60.3 in 2026.