According to the study by valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance, the monetary value of Google’s brand rose by 24 percent last year to $109.5 billion, propelling it to the top spot for the first time since 2011. Apple’s value fell from $145.9 billion in the previous year to $107.1 billion.
“Google remains largely unchallenged in its core search business, which is the mainstay of its advertising income,” Brand Finance wrote in its report.
The Global 500 10 most valuable brands are:
• Google
• Apple
• Amazon.com
• AT&T
• Microsoft
• Samsung
• Verizon
• Walmart
• Facebook
• ICBC
The top 10 most powerful brands are:
• Lego
• Google
• Nike
• Ferrari
• Visa
• Disney
• NBC
• PriceWaterhouseCoopers
• Johnson & Johnson
• McKinsey & Company
The report said that "Lego scores highly on a wide variety of BSI metrics such as familiarity, loyalty, promotion, marketing investment, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation."