The most popular consumer brands by Google searches

Bud Light was the most searched consumer brand in South Africa in the past two years, according to a recently released report by BusinessFinancing.co.uk. Other consumer brands that attracted the most online attention in the country between 2021 and 2023 were Steve Madden, McDonald’s and Realme. 

The study calculated the year-over-year change in Google searches for the most popular global consumer brands in 135 countries.

Bud Light was the clear winner in 20 countries. Despite a challenging and controversial 2023, Bud Light is also the beer brand that gained the most popularity globally over the past two years, leading in 45 countries. While Bud Light experienced a $395m decline in sales in the US, the brand had significant growth in other regions, including in South Africa, where it saw double-digit growth with a remarkable 1,199% increase in search volume.

In the fashion and beauty category, Crocs gained the most popularity globally, winning hearts in 23 countries. However, in South Africa, Steve Madden was the most searched fashion and beauty brand.

The competition for the most popular gaming brand has been fierce over the past two years. Globally, Nintendo takes the lead, gaining the most popularity in 30 countries, followed by BioWare in second place with 27 countries, including South Africa, the UK, Canada and New Zealand.

McDonald’s is the restaurant brand that has gained the most popularity in 31 countries, including South Africa, over the past two years. 

In the smartphone category, Infinix Mobile gained the most popularity in 28 countries. Relatively new to the smartphone market, the brand was established in Hong Kong in 2013. In South Africa, Realme was the most searched smartphone brand. Interestingly, tech behemoths like Apple and Samsung are a rare sight on the map, only coming top in Nigeria and Rwanda.

The report points out that not all brands rejoice over a surge in Google searches, particularly if the increased attention is the result of a marketing misstep. In March 2016, for example, Whole Foods went viral after a customer questioned the grocery chain’s eco-unfriendly decision to package peeled oranges in plastic containers. “The brand’s quick decision to rectify its mistake by pulling them from shelves is an example of how brands — big and small — can turn criticism into useful feedback and bad publicity into responsible, customer-focused action,” says the report.

The big take-out: A brand’s popularity may rise and fall depending on various factors.