Apple regains most valuable brand title position

by Benson Agoha | Business

Apple tops Google as world's most valuable brand

Apple. (Credit: via Mashable)

Millward Brown released its BrandZ Top 10 brands and the calculator of global brand ratings say Apple is now the the Most Valuable Brand, coming ahead of Google which trails in second place and Microsoft in third position.

Other brands featured include: IBM, Visa, AT&T, Verizon, Cocacola, McDonalds and Marlboro in that other.

But other than brand, the company with fastest growth is Facebook, followed by Apple, Intel in third place, according to BrandZ.

Apple's leading brand is valued at $246.9bn ahead of Googles $173.6bn and Microsost $115.5bn. And while Apple increased it's brand value by 67%, Google increased only by 9%, while Microsoft increased by 28%.  Remarkably, Facebook rose in brand value by 99%.

A regional growth in value in the past decade was reported in China which grew in values as well as in number of brands.

The most valuable brands also delivered superior returns in the past decade, with 102.6% growth.

And shifts have been recorded with technology companies rising higher in value than other industries over the period.

According to the Mobile Marketing Association, Apple's status is enhanced by a surge in company value and the introduction of the Apple Watch, which was released even as Google pulled back on its Glass headset plans.

See how they rank below:

1. Apple

Brand value: $247 billion
Last year's value: $148 billion
Change from last year: 67%

2. Google

Brand value: $173 billion
Last year's value: $158 billion
Change from last year: 9%

3. Microsoft

Brand value: $116 billion
Last year's value: $90 billion
Change from last year: 28%

4. IBM

Brand value: $94 billion
Last year's value: $108 billion
Change from last year: -13%

5. Visa

Brand value: $92 billion
Last year's value: $79 billion
Change from last year: 16%

6. AT&T

Brand value: $89 billion
Last year's value: $78 billion
Change from last year: 15%

7. Verizon

Brand value: $86 billion
Last year's value: $63 billion
Change from last year: 36%

8. Coca-Cola

Brand value: $84 billion
Last year's value: $81 billion
Change from last year: 4%

9. McDonald's

Brand value: $81 billion
Last year's value: $86 billion
Change from last year: -5%

10. Marlboro

Brand value: $80 billion
Last year's value: $67 billion
Change from last year: 19%

* Sourced from MillwardBrown.com by Benson Agoha - with contributions from MMA, Mashable, CNET