Mamma Mia! | How much is iconic scooter brand Vespa worth?

The iconic Vespa brand may only offer small scooters but it remains a huge business for its Piaggio parent company after a recent brand assessment saw it valued at almost $1bn.

Founded just after World War II in 1946, Vespa typified its Italian origins with quintessential simple yet classy designs, becoming an instant hit in its home market before gaining cult status globally.

Significantly, though the design has evolved over the years it hasn’t deviated much from its origins, a look that has become so synonymous with the brand that the design has 3D trademark and design copyright status to prevent rivals from mimicking it,

It is this exclusivity and status as a fashion and lifestyle icon that has enabled Vespa’s value to appreciate over the years, with Piaggio’s Brand Strength Score putting a valuation figure of €906 million.

“Vespa is much more than a mobility brand; it symbolises art, design, technology and fun," says Michele Colaninno, Piaggio Group Board Director for Strategy, Products & Innovation. 

"Vespa is an icon of style: its uniqueness makes it one of the most admired and desired brands, belonging to the premium space as well as fashion and lifestyle brands. For this reason, we must begin to benchmark it against other global brands beyond pure mobility. 

“That's why we have asked Interbrand, the world's leading brand consultancy, to determine and analyse the financial value of the Vespa brand. This is not a finishing line, but simply a new starting point as we continue to build the future of Vespa.”

“The term 'iconic' is overused, but there’s really no other way to define this brand,” added Manfredi Ricca, Interbrand’s Global Chief Strategy Officer. “Vespa is a heritage brand, and yet it is constantly evolving; it’s deeply Italian, and yet globally loved; it’s premium, and yet inclusive. 

“Our valuation work doesn’t only set into numbers the desire and demand for this brand - it also shows Vespa to be essentially a category of one at the intersection of mobility, expression and culture.”

Piaggio's protection of the Vespa brand has led to it launching a series of successful lawsuits to prevent imitations built in Asia from being exported to Europe.