Search engines need to reflect the real world, and brands are a significant part of that landscape. Searchers expect to find familiar brands, even when those websites aren’t perfectly optimised or lack the highest Domain Authority.
Furthermore, Google rewards brands in various ways, including expanded listings (such as sitelinks), Knowledge Graph (entity) results, duplicate rankings on the first page, and a greater likelihood of certain types of rich results.
Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the diversity and presence of SERP features in search results. It’s not just that Nike is ranking number one organically; Nike, along with various brands—many of which are medium-sized or smaller—are receiving enhanced brand signals through SERP features such as sitelinks and knowledge panels. Example: