Tech Brands FTW: The new BrandZ list of the top 100 most valuable brands in the US is out, and tech firms Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook are sitting at the top. The list, released by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown, reported that Google's brand value totaled $286 billion—higher than any other US-based company. In all, the list put the combined brand value of the top 100 companies at $3.16 trillion, though the top 10 made up about half of that figure.
Post-Turkey Shopping: A report from the National Retail Federation estimates that 164 million people plan to shop or will consider shopping over Thanksgiving weekend. However, the actual holiday will see comparatively low shopping levels, with only 20% of respondents planning to head to the stores or online retailers that day. Black Friday remains the busiest shopping day; 70% of consumers expect to shop during that time.
Seasonal Pricing Problem: Manufacturers desiring to preserve pricing through the holiday season face a task tougher than your cousin's overcooked turkey. ORIS Intelligence found that price undercutting was rampant in 2016, in part because manufacturers and brands have so many retail partners, making it difficult to keep track of pricing strategies. The firm also reports that unauthorized sellers often undercut prices on goods, forcing brands to remain vigilant.
Pay TV Tumbles: New figures from Leichtman Research Group (LRG) show that the US's largest pay TV providers saw their video subscriber numbers decrease by a net of 405,000 in the third quarter. That was up from a net loss of about 250,000 subscribers recorded in Q3 2016. Meanwhile, the top two internet-delivered pay TV services added a net total of about 536,000 subscribers during the same timeframe.
The Notebook Bump: Worldwide shipments of notebooks grew 6.8% quarter over quarter in Q3 2017, according to data from TrendForce. The company reported that global shipments of the devices totaled 42.7 million during the three-month period, and projected that the year-end total for notebook shipments would hit 162.4 million.
India's Rural Demand: The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in India is expected to surge in the country's rural areas, growing from $29.4 billion in 2016 to $220 billion by 2025, according to data from MRRSIndia.com and ASSOCHAM. That reflects a 14.6% compound annual growth rate over the time period. Consumers in rural areas are increasingly adopting smartphones and payment services, making practices like buying online easier, the study found.