10th May 11
Apple topples Google as most valuable global brand
by Adam Richards
Apple: top of the heap
Apple: top of the heap
The launch of the Apple iPad has helped the company topple rival technology giant Google last year to become the most powerful brand in the world, a survey has revealed.
WPP-owned research firm Millward Brown places Apple in first place in its annual global brand power top 100 list, Brandz, up from third position in 2009, with an increase of 84 per cent in its predicted value to $153bn (£93bn). Google’s four-year reign at the summit of the global brand power list was ended, in a year when Facebook also made it into the top 100 for the first time.
The Brandz report’s global director Peter Walshe said that Apple’s growing brand value was largely driven by the iPad, but added that the iPhone and the development of apps have also continued to do magnificently well.
Millward Brown’s report, which takes into account financial performance and brand power, brushed aside the potential impact of the medical leave being taken by Apple’s chief executive Steve Jobs, instead focusing on the apparent endless production line of essential products which Apple launches.
Walshe went on to state that on measures which the report examined such as “desirability”, Apple comes in the world’s top 10 and on a “buzz” scale – relating to mentions on message boards, tweets and blogs – it lies in fourth position behind the trio of Google, Facebook and Microsoft.
The Millward Brown report contained Facebook for the first time, after the social networking service had been held back over recent years due to poor evidence of financial muscle.
Facebook, which has seen its valuation rise to $70bn and is believed to be floating next year, came in at 35th with a 246 per cent increase in its estimated brand value year-on-year from $5.5bn to $19bn. Walshe described Facebook’s year as staggering and said that time will tell if the estimate’s financial part is stable or not.
The UK’s most valuable brand was yet again telecoms firm Vodafone, which comes in at 12th on the worldwide list, with a value nearly flat year-on-year at $43bn. Toyota, hammered in the Brandz report in 2009 after its brand value dropped 28 per cent following the bulk recall of faulty cars, responded by becoming the most valuable car marquee, rising 11 per cent to $24bn in 27th position.
Amazon also climbed a place to 14th and in doing so passed Walmart, down two positions to 15th, to become the highest placed retailer on the list. The company’s brand value increased by 37 per cent in 2010 to $37bn. Baidu, the Chinese search engine, soared 46 places to 29th due to a 141 per cent rise in brand value to $22bn.
Nokia were among the top fallers after launching a restructuring programme as a result of not being able to keep pace with rivals Google and Apple, down 38 positions to 81st. Nintendo fell 47 positions to 79th with a 37 per cent drop in brand value to £11bn.
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