Disney Holds First Place and Costco Climbs to No. 2 in MBLM’s 2026 Brand Intimacy Study 

NEW YORK,  Sept. 2, 2026: Disney holds its position as the No. 1 most intimate brand for a second consecutive year, according to MBLM’s 2026 Brand Intimacy Study, a comprehensive ranking of brands based on emotion. Costco’s climb from No. 29 to No. 2 marks one of the biggest moves in the study’s history, signaling a shift toward value-driven brands, while Samsung rounds out the top three, overtaking Apple for the first time in 16 years. Brand Intimacy is the emotional science behind the bonds consumers form with the brands they use and love, and it is used to strengthen brand relationships and drive financial performance. 

Now in its 16th year, the 2026 Brand Intimacy Study is continuous and longitudinal, collecting and analyzing over four billion data points and an AI-powered evaluation of 425 brands across 23 industries and 25 brand families. Our model was inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Daniel Kahneman and others and has been refined over a decade of qualitative and quantitative global research. 

Value Brands Surge 

As consumers stretch grocery budgets during a period of continued economic pressure and look for value wherever they can find it, few brands are as well-positioned as Costco. Climbing from No. 29, Costco is now No. 2 overall in the study. Target (No. 5), Old Navy (No. 14), and Walmart (No. 24) rank among the other brands benefiting from this same focus on value. Retail is the No. 1 industry overall for the first time, further indicating how central value has become to brand relationships in 2026. 

Samsung Overtakes Apple 

For the 16 years MBLM has studied brand intimacy, Apple’s dominance in the Tech and Telecom industry seemed unshakeable. In 2026, Samsung has done the unthinkable, ranking No. 3 overall and ahead of Apple (No. 7) for the first time in the study’s history, driven by strength in the sharing and fusing stages of intimacy. 

AI Enters the Conversation 

For the first time, MBLM has studied the emotional performance of AI chatbot brands. These brands have quickly become part of the same collective conversation the study has measured for over a decade, much as social platforms did before them. Gemini leads the new category in which millions of people now shape and discuss some of their most intimate relationships.  

“The world of information, and of marketing specifically, is being shaped by social consensus and algorithms in an environment of volatile politics and economic uncertainty,” said Mario Natarelli, Managing Partner at MBLM. “This year, that dynamic extends to AI itself. Chatbots aren’t just tools; they’re becoming participants in the conversation that shapes how people feel about brands, wherever those relationships form.” 

Other notable findings: 

• Tesla has continued to decline, falling further to No. 141 in this year’s rankings. 
• Conversely, rising rapidly from No. 53 to No. 19, Twitch exemplifies the gaming category’s rise. Twitch leads with the archetype of enhancement, proving that it has grown and attracted a more mature audience. 
• Top intimate brands are also outperforming the Fortune 500 in revenue and gross and net income.  
• Building on annual financial tracking measures, we have built a virtual fund that tracks top intimate brands over time. Since June of 2025, our Brand Intimacy Fund has enjoyed 20% growth, exceeding the performance of ETFs such as SPY during the same period.  

The 2026 Brand Intimacy Study includes rankings and analysis for all 425 brands, 23 industries, and 25 brand families. To explore the full rankings, access key findings, and subscribe for ongoing updates, click here. 

Methodology 

In 2025 and 2026, MBLM conducted a comprehensive analysis of 425 brands across a continuous, longitudinal feed of social conversational data. The study focused on U.S.-based audiences across major platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and X. Each platform was weighted using a principal component and cluster-based model, incorporating factors such as demographic representation, platform usage patterns and interaction dynamics. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, natural language processing, sentiment analysis and MBLM’s proprietary Brand Intimacy measures, the study analyzed organic U.S. consumer discourse about brands on an ongoing basis. 

To read a more detailed description of MBLM’s approach, visit its Methodology page. 

About MBLM 

MBLM invented Brand Intimacy, the emotional science behind the brands we use and love. We deliver expertise and value to our clients through our services, software offerings, and agency insights. With offices in New York City, Toronto, Dubai, and Seoul, our multidisciplinary teams invent, transform, and enhance brands for businesses of every kind. We deliver marketing that creates stronger emotional connections with stakeholders. These bonds drive better performance and long-term returns. To learn more about how we can help you create and sustain ultimate brand relationships, visit mblm.com.