Gartner has released its list of Genius Brands within the latest Gartner Digital IQ Index, identifying the best-in-class brands across 15 industries.

Only 3% of the 1 337 brands indexed were categorised as “Genius” this year. “CMOs have gone to extremes over the past two years to keep their organizations focused and continue to deliver value to customers across digital channels — and the heat remains high,” says Chris Beland, vice-president analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice. “This year’s Genius Brands provide inspiration for how early and ongoing digital investments can enable growth in an uncertain environment.”

Anatomy of Genius Brands

The Gartner Digital IQ Index is an annual ranking of brands within a given industry based on digital investments and performance. For each brand, Gartner measures hundreds of data points across four digital dimensions – site, digital marketing channels, social media and path to purchase – in a quest to quantify a brand’s digital aptitude and digital maturity relative to its industry peers.

The best-in-class brands in each industry are categorized as “Genius Brands”. Although each industry has its own set of characteristics that influence operations and competition, Genius Brands share three differentiating attributes:

* Robust approach to content marketing: Genius Brands prioritise and commit to a disciplined content marketing process, supporting customers in critical moments along their journey.

* Agility through scale: Genius Brands use their digital marketing investments not only to execute on day-to-day tasks, but also to proactively plan for change and seize opportunities.

* Embrace customer centricity: Genius Brands push beyond delivering a brand narrative and equip their customers with the tools to become more confident in their decisions, simplify the customer journey and enable a brand experience that it is meaningful.

The 2021-2022 Gartner Genius Brands

Source: Gartner (May 2022)

“The Gartner Digital IQ Index is more than just a list,” says Beland. “It’s a tool that helps marketing leaders contextualise brand health and investments, imagine new opportunities and inform their strategic roadmap amidst disruption.”