Coruba vs Malibu:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Malibu had more branded searches than Coruba among rum brands in New Zealand. Malibu had about 2,000 branded searches, while Coruba had 1,760. Malibu made up 15.8% of all rum brand searches we track, and Coruba accounted for 13.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about rum brands, Coruba appeared in one of the five answers and Malibu in none.
Follow Coruba vs Malibu and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top rum brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Coruba was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Malibu did not appear 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 Coruba or Malibu more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Coruba 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 Malibu, Coruba. 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 Coruba and Malibu comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Malibu was ahead of Coruba in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Coruba’s share of searches among rum brands in New Zealand moved from 11.7% to 13.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.4K to 1.8K.
- 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, Malibu overtook Appleton Estate to rank 3rd among rum brands in New Zealand, with 15.8% of the searches.
In September 2026, Coruba gained share of searches among rum brands in New Zealand, from 12.6% to 13.9%.
How are branded searches counted?
15 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Coruba’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.
Other head-to-heads among rum brands
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.