Sam Oliver
BrandZ's ranking of the Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands (PDF) shows Apple with an 84 percent increase in brand value from 2010. Search giant Google, meanwhile, dropped 2 percent to $111 billion, coming in second place.
Noteworthy brands beaten by Apple and in the top 50 include IBM ($101 billion, No. 3), Microsoft ($78 billion, No. 5), Coca-Cola ($74 billion, No. 6), AT&T ($70 billion, No. 7), Amazon.com ($37.6 billion, No. 14), and Disney ($17.2 billion, No. 38). Other tech companies on the list include HP at No. 18, BlackBerry at No. 25, FaceBook at No. 35, and Cisco at No. 44.
The total list of the 100 most valuable brands increased by 17 percent year over year to $2.4 trillion. BrandZ found growth in all 13 sectors it tracks, including apparel, beer, technology, insurance and luxury.
Developed by Millward Brown Optimor, the ranking system analyzes the world's leading brands and the economic and competitive dynamics that influence value fluctuations. It focuses on market-facing brands that generate revenue and profits through the sale of goods and services directly to consumers or business customers.
The valuation establishes an estimated worth of the Apple brand, rather than Apple the company. The survey was created 13 years ago, and includes information from more than 2 million in-depth consumer interviews in 30 countries.
Apple's 84 percent year over year increase made it the fifth-largest growth story of 2010 on the brand ranking index. Apple was beaten by Facebook, which saw its estimated brand value surge 246 percent to $19 billion, giving it the greatest increase.
The social network was followed by Baidu (141 percent), Wells Fargo (97 percent) and Burberry (86 percent). Apple came ahead of Skol (68 percent), Pizza Hut (58 percent) and Geico (53 percent).
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
48 Comments
Nice to know a company that produces devices to enhance one's life has a better brand name than a sugar water company that causes tooth decay, a telecom company that can't hold a phone call more than a minute, or a social networking site that is a total waste of time.
I wish they had mentioned Nike so I could rail about a clothing company that makes millions of of sweat shop labor.
But good on you anyway Apple.
all better.
In that table graphic you show, that last column (percent change) has "N/A" listed for a couple of companies. That seems nonsensical. Does "N/A" have another meaning here than "not applicable"?
Presumably they meant "no change" (so: N/C).
(I presume this is a graphic you lifted from the original source, not one you made yourself. And yes, I am unable to go back and look. Tired. Fingers broken )
There is really no way Apple's achievement can be overstated. They singlehandedly, almost overnight, freed the "computer" from the box and keyboard. This was a landmark moment. Now everyone's pushing this paradigm. Tablets, slates, app stores, touch interfaces, etc.
The next 5-7 years will be a huge growth phase for Apple, during which we will witness the decline of Microsoft. Note how MS' brand now ranks below McDonalds. And McDonalds sells low grade cheeseburgers that pose serious health risks.
Welcome to the post-PC era, Microsoft. Seriously.
Nice to know a company that produces devices to enhance one's life has a better brand name than a sugar water company that causes tooth decay, a telecom company that can't hold a phone call more than a minute, or a social networking site that is a total waste of time.
I wish they had mentioned Nike so I could rail about a clothing company that makes millions of of sweat shop labor.
But good on you anyway Apple.
I could give up my Apple products way easier than give up my Coca-Cola products.