Money Matters, Simplified.
Apple beats Google to claim 'World's Most Valuable Brand' title
by NeelamGoswami - May 9, 2011 - comments
Apple’s iPad has helped the company grow 84 percent, to an estimated worth of $153 billion, which is almost half Apple's market capitalization.
Apple has overtaken Google as the world's most valuable brand, thanks to the company’s high-profile products like iPhone, iMac and iPad, according to a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown, a subsidiary of advertising company WPP.
The report shows that the Cupertino, California-based Apple moved up from third place in 2010 to the No. 1 position in 2011 as its brand value grew from US $84 billion to $153 billion, according to the study.
Apple surpasses Google
Making it for the first time, Apple topped this year's list of Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands, knocking Google off the throne.
Search engine giant Google had been the No. 1 brand for the last 4 years in a row.
Apple’s iPad has helped the company grow 84 percent, to an estimated worth of $153 billion, which is almost half Apple's market capitalization.
"I would say the big story to me is the tail of the tablet. If you see just how much Apple's brand value has gone up, the iPad is large part of that," ABC News quoted Eileen Campbell, CEO of the global research agency Millward Brown, as saying.
The report shows that the Cupertino, California-based Apple moved up from third place in 2010 to the No. 1 position in 2011 as its brand value grew from US$84 billion to $153 billion, according to the study.
Apple’s growth in recent quarter
Apple recently announced a 95 percent increase in profit with second quarter earnings of $5.99 billion.
According to the company, it has sold 18.65 million iPhones that quarter, up 113 percent from the period year ago.
Though sales of the iPad were lower than expected, the company still sold 4.69 million units during the quarter.
"It's clear that every single Apple employee, from Steve Jobs and Tim Cook to the summer interns, see protecting and nurturing that brand as a top priority," Campbell wrote in the report. "Tablet computing also drove value growth not just for Apple, but also for the providers who support yet another networked device."
Other companies that made to the list
Google saw its brand value drop by 2 percent to $111.5 billion in 2011, ending it 4-year long reign as world's most valuable brand.
Alongside Apple and Google was International Business Machines Corp. (IBM),which climbed 17 percent to be the No. 3, followed by Microsoft at number five, AT&T at number seven, and China Mobile at number nine.
Popular social network company Facebook appeared for the first time in the Top 100 list at No. 35. The privately-held Facebook had the highest percentage brand growth this year.
"Facebook continues to have great growth prospects," Campbell said. "It's no longer where people are looking up their college boyfriends, or kids connecting. It's becoming really truly a broad social network."
Following is the list of top ten Most Valuable Global Brands:
1. Apple $153bn
2. Google $111bn
3. IBM $100bn
4. McDonald's $81bn
5. Microsoft $78bn
6. Coca Cola $73bn
7. AT&T $70bn
8. Marlboro $67bn
9. China Mobile $57bn
10. GE $50bn
About research company and the list
Compiled by Millward Brown, this is the sixth annual list, officially called BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands.
The brand research company takes into account both quantitative consumer research and financial analysis while compiling the list.
The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking is drawn from a database of more than 2 million consumer interviews in 30 countries along with publicly available financial data.
"The people who really drive brand value is the consumer, whether they're business consumers or traditional home consumers," Campbell said.