Technology and digital companies dominate top 100 global brands list

Apple and Google have topped the list of the world’s most valuable brands for the third year in a row, helping to ensure technology and digital companies dominate the 2015 rankings.

Interbrand’s 16th annual Best Global Brands report put Apple’s brand value at US$170.3 billion, a 43 per cent rise year-on-year, while Google’s increased by 12 per cent to $120.3bn.

Rounding out the top five were Coca-Cola with a 4 per cent dip in value to $78.4bn; Microsoft, with an 11 per cent increase in value to $67.6bn; and IBM, which fell from fourth to fifth position after experiencing a 10 per cent drop in brand worth to $65.1bn.

In total, technology brands made up more than one-third of the total value of all 100 brands. Other strong performers in this category included Facebook (54 per cent increase in value to $22bn and 23rd position) and Amazon (29 per cent rise in value to $37.9bn, pushing it to 10th position).

Across other sectors, top risers included Hermes, which lifted its value by 22 per cent to $10.9bn to secure 41st position, and Nissan, which took 49th spot and increased its brand value by 19 per cent to $9.1bn.

The list also features five new brands this year: Lego (82nd, $5.4bn), PayPal (97th, $4.3bn), MINI (98th, $4.2bn), Moët & Chandon (99th, $4.1bn), and Lenovo (100th, $4.1bn).

“As people demand immediate, personalized and tailored experiences, business and brands need to move at the speed of life,” commented Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s global CEO.

“Many of the brands in this year’s Top 100 are so intuitively aligned with people’s priorities, they are able to seamlessly integrate into their everyday lives.”

Interbrand’s rankings are based on several considerations, including the financial performance of the brand’s products and services, its influence with customers, and its ability to command a premium price or secure earnings for the wider organisation.

Top 10 global brands

1. Apple (+43%)
2. Google (+12%)
3. Coca-Cola (-4%)
4. Microsoft (+11%)
5. IBM (-10%)
6. Toyota (+16%)
7. Samsung (0%)
8. GE (-7%)
9. McDonald’s (-6%)
10. Amazon (+29%)

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