Apple usurps Google as most valuable global brand

Apple's brand value soared 84 per cent this year to US$153 billion on the back of sales from the its wireless devices the iPhone 4, iPad and iPad 2, but also new desktop and laptop computers.

Millward Brown's annual Brandz survey combines attitudes to companies, market valuations, analyst reports and risk profiles to arrive at a brand's value.

Google's brand value slipped by 2 per cent to $111.5 billion despite dominance in search and the growing Android brand. IBM's brand value grew by 17 per cent to $100.8 billion.

The power of Apple's brand has also pushed US telecoms giant AT&T into the top 10, as the company improved its wireless network and benefited from exclusivity for the iPhone 4 until February.

AT&T's brand value of $69.9 billion helped it move 15 places up the table to number 7.

McDonald's rose two places to 4th place, its brand value increasing 23 per cent to $81 billon as it shakes off negative publicity lingering from the film 'Supersize Me' and improves its stores and menu.

All of the other brands in the top 10 increased their brand value but moved down a notch, displaced by either Apple, McDonald's or AT&T.

The most significant rise was Marlboro cigarettes rising 18 per cent to $67.5 billion.

The biggest British brand was Vodafone at number 12, the same position as last year and worth $43.6 billion.

This is the sixth annual Millward Brown Optimor BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study.

It identifies and ranks the world’s most valuable 100 brands by their dollar value and is used by businesses to assess: how much brand drives revenues, growth and market capitalisation and builds long-term financial value. 

It claims to be the only brand valuation in the world that takes into account what people think about the brands they buy alongside rigorous analysis of financial data, market valuations, analyst reports and risk profiles.

Key Highlights of Research:

The Top 10:

Apple
Google
IBM
McDonald's
Microsoft
Coca-Cola
AT&T
Marlboro
China Mobile
General Electric (GE)

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk