Ipsos Ranks Canada’s Top 10 Most Influential Brands of 2023
Ipsos, in association with the Canadian Marketing Association, Globe Media Group, and Publicis, today announced the 2023 Most Influential Brands in Canada report: a data-driven analysis of Canada’s most impactful brands and the dimensions that contribute to their influence.
Ipsos Canada’s Steve Levy presented the report at an exclusive reception with over 350 marketers held in collaboration with The Globe and Mail and simulcasted to almost 700 brand strategy and marketing professionals from across Canada and beyond.
Since 2010, Ipsos has produced the definitive report on brand influence in Canada each year, delving into the attitudes and characteristics that make brands influential and determine their impact on consumer behaviour, cultural trends, and the world at large. The 2023 report draws upon a representative sample of over 6,700 Canadians from different generations, regions, and backgrounds to gain a holistic understanding of more than 100 brands across 20 sectors.
“Influence isn’t just about cash flow, market share, or trends. It’s about trust, presence, and impact — the decisions that shape today’s consumer behaviour and set tomorrow’s agenda,” said Steve.
Steve went on to say “In an age of distraction and polarisation, influential brands are common ground for Canadians. And that makes influence more powerful than ever before.”
Most Influential Brands in Canada 2023
1. Google (-)
2. Amazon (-)
3. YouTube (+1)
4. Apple (-1)
5. Facebook (+5)
6. Walmart (-)
7. Costco (+4)
8. Microsoft (-1)
9. Visa (-)
10. Netflix (-5)
Study Highlights
Whether you were doom scrolling or checking in on your RRSP, 2023 was a nail-biter. Rising inflation and interest rates meant that investors cut back while shoppers pinched pennies. In these uncertain times, influential brands acted as unifiers, building intergenerational harmony through broad appeal, thoughtful engagement, and meaningful collaboration.
Over the last twelve months, economic conditions shifted rapidly while innovation cycles accelerated, meaning that brands needed to adapt and act faster than ever. But with strong Trustworthiness, Corporate Citizenship, Engagement, and Leading Edge status — and Presence, Utility, and Empathy — 2023’s Most Influential Brands succeeded in both their defensive plays and their big bets.
And with increasing scrutiny from consumer activists and everyday Canadians alike, influential brands went above and beyond when it came to accountability, integrating corporate and social responsibility into their handling of social, political, and economic issues.
With a digital ecosystem trusted by millions and groundbreaking implementations of AI technology, Google took the #1 slot for the twelfth consecutive year in 2023. The runner-up, Amazon, had an influential 2023 thanks to massive reach and best-in-class operational capabilities. (The online superstore says that it’s invested $40 billion in its Canadian operations since 2010, and scaled up its Canada Prime deliveries sevenfold since 2019).
Thanks to a deep well of content — including not only viral videos and big celebrities, but everything from music and podcasts to academic lectures — YouTube climbed to third place in 2023. With the announcement of what may be its boldest new product in a decade, the hotly anticipated Vision Pro, Apple took the #4 slot. Meanwhile Facebook’s strategic pivots, including the launch of generative AI tools and the Threads app, helped the social media giant climb five places to #5.
Coming in behind Walmart at #7, Costco broke into the Top 10 for the first time in 2023. With both bargains and opportunities to buy in bulk, the brand’s wholesale model provided strong value and influence at a time when Canadians were highly focused on pocketbook issues.
With a series of acquisitions, an expanded presence in Quebec, and the swift integration of AI solutions into its product ecosystem, Microsoft landed at #8 in 2023. Visa (#9) and Netflix #10) rounded out this year’s list.
For a full look at Canada’s Top 10 Most Influential Brands, the dimensions that shaped their influence, and the gainers that climbed the ranks in 2023, read the full Ipsos POV here.
