---
title: "Chiefs vs Highlanders: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Chiefs or Highlanders? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Super Rugby teams set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/chiefs-vs-highlanders"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Chiefs vs Highlanders: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?

Which is more popular in search, Chiefs or Highlanders? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Super Rugby teams set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: Chiefs and Highlanders
- **Competitive set**: Super Rugby teams
- **Market**: New Zealand
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Chiefs Share of Search**: 25.1%
- **Highlanders Share of Search**: 6.2%

## Which is more popular in search, Chiefs or Highlanders?

- In August 2026, Chiefs had more branded searches than Highlanders among super rugby teams in New Zealand. Chiefs was estimated to have 2.9K branded searches compared to Highlanders’ 710, and held a 25.1% Share of Search versus Highlanders’ 6.2%.
- Chiefs was ahead of Highlanders in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Chiefs’ estimated Share of Search among super rugby teams in New Zealand moved from 22.2% to 25.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.5K to 2.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Highlanders’ estimated Share of Search among super rugby teams in New Zealand moved from 11.3% to 6.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.3K to 710.

## How did search popularity change for New Zealand super rugby teams in August 2026?

- In August 2026, Chiefs overtook Hurricanes to take the highest estimated Share of Search among super rugby teams in New Zealand, at 25.1%.
- In August 2026, Highlanders gained estimated Share of Search among super rugby teams in New Zealand, from 5.1% to 6.2%.

## Month by month

| Month | Chiefs estimated searches | Chiefs Share of Search | Chiefs rank | Highlanders estimated searches | Highlanders Share of Search | Highlanders rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 2.5K | 22.2% | 2 | 1.3K | 11.3% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | 4.2K | 26.9% | 1 | 1.3K | 8.1% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | 3.4K | 26.9% | 1 | 1K | 7.9% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | 5.4K | 22.9% | 1 | 1.9K | 8.2% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | 18.6K | 20.3% | 2 | 9.7K | 10.5% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | 17.3K | 16.9% | 4 | 9.1K | 8.8% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | 26.9K | 21.5% | 2 | 5.4K | 4.3% | 6 |
| May 2026 | 33.9K | 22.7% | 2 | 5.2K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | 44.4K | 29.2% | 2 | 1.3K | 0.85% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | 2.9K | 20.9% | 2 | 700 | 5.1% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | 2.9K | 25.1% | 1 | 710 | 6.2% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Chiefs’ and Highlanders’ 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.

- **Chiefs**: Measured on the search terms “chiefs nz rugby”, “chiefs rugby”, “chiefs rugby club”, “chiefs rugby gear”, “chiefs rugby shop”, “chiefs squad”, “chiefs super rugby jersey”, “chiefs tickets” and “waikato chiefs shop”, summed into one figure.
- **Highlanders**: Measured on the search terms “highlanders rugby”, “highlanders rugby club”, “highlanders rugby shirt”, “highlanders squad”, “highlanders super rugby” and “highlanders tickets”, summed into one figure.

- [Chiefs profile](/demand/nz/brands/chiefs)
- [Highlanders profile](/demand/nz/brands/highlanders)
- [All super rugby teams in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-super-rugby-teams): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, Chiefs or Highlanders?

In August 2026, Chiefs had more branded searches than Highlanders among super rugby teams in New Zealand. Chiefs was estimated to have 2.9K branded searches compared to Highlanders’ 710, and held a 25.1% Share of Search versus Highlanders’ 6.2%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Chiefs vs Highlanders: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/chiefs-vs-highlanders

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/chiefs-vs-highlanders. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.