Kraken vs Malibu:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Kraken had more branded searches than Malibu among rum brands in New Zealand. Kraken had about 2,090 branded searches, while Malibu had 2,000. Kraken made up 16.5% of all rum brand searches we track, and Malibu accounted for 15.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about rum brands, neither Kraken nor Malibu appeared in any of the five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Kraken and Malibu are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 0 of 5 answers.
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Top rum brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, neither Kraken nor Malibu showed up in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Appleton Estate5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Havana Club3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Bacardi1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Coruba1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Kraken0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Malibu0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Captain Morgan0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Sailor Jerry0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about rum brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which rum brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best rum brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best rum brand in New Zealand for cocktails?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“rum brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best rum”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Kraken or Malibu more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kraken and Malibu by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine rum brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Kraken, Malibu. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Bacardi | Kraken | Malibu | Appleton Estate | Coruba | Captain Morgan | Sailor Jerry | Havana Club | Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 23.5% | 14.9% | 16.3% | 16% | 11.7% | 8.9% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 0.42% |
| Nov 2025 | 26.1% | 14.4% | 16.2% | 15.6% | 11.5% | 7.9% | 4.9% | 3% | 0.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 27.8% | 14.6% | 18.6% | 15.5% | 9.6% | 6.6% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 0.31% |
| Jan 2026 | 24.5% | 12.8% | 19.4% | 13.4% | 10.7% | 9.1% | 5.7% | 3.8% | 0.43% |
| Feb 2026 | 25.7% | 12.4% | 17.9% | 13.1% | 11.1% | 9.7% | 5.6% | 4.2% | 0.33% |
| Mar 2026 | 24.2% | 11.6% | 16.4% | 16.5% | 11.8% | 9.5% | 6% | 3.6% | 0.41% |
| Apr 2026 | 22% | 16.1% | 16.4% | 14.4% | 14.1% | 8.4% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 0.27% |
| May 2026 | 21% | 17.2% | 15.2% | 13.4% | 14.6% | 9% | 5.2% | 4.1% | 0.33% |
| Jun 2026 | 21.3% | 18.2% | 15.7% | 14% | 13.5% | 8% | 5.5% | 3.4% | 0.43% |
| Jul 2026 | 21.1% | 15.2% | 15.5% | 20.2% | 12% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 2.6% | 0.37% |
| Aug 2026 | 23.4% | 15.7% | 15.1% | 16.9% | 12.6% | 8.6% | 4.4% | 3% | 0.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 22.3% | 16.5% | 15.8% | 15% | 13.9% | 9% | 5% | 2.1% | 0.39% |
How has the Kraken and Malibu comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 3 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Kraken took it in May 2026, Malibu took it in July 2026, Kraken took it in August 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kraken’s share of searches among rum brands in New Zealand moved from 14.9% to 16.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.8K to 2.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Malibu’s share of searches among rum brands in New Zealand moved from 16.3% to 15.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 2K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand rum brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Kraken overtook Appleton Estate to rank 2nd among rum brands in New Zealand, with 16.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, Malibu overtook Appleton Estate to rank 3rd among rum brands in New Zealand, with 15.8% of the searches.
How are branded searches counted?
11 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kraken’s and Malibu’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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