Google worth more than Apple?
May 21, 2014
Every year, marketing consultancy Millward Brown estimates the value of the world's 100 most valuable global brands. This year's ranking, released Wednesday, added $310 billion (226 billion euros) to reach $2.9 trillion in aggregate brand value. The figure marked a 12-percent jump from levels reached a year earlier.
Prior to the BrandZ Global 2014 results, the Top 100 had increased an average of about 6 percent - $125 billion annually - since the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.
After being in the top spot for three years, Apple has now been overtaken by Google in the 2014 ranking. Millward Brown put Google's current brand value at $158.8 billion, a 40-percent surge year-on-year, while Apple suffered a 20-percent drop to $147.9 billion.
US dominance
The market research group noted that the top 10 in the ranking consisted exclusively of US companies, including IBM in third position, followed by Microsoft, McDonald's and Coca-Cola.
Chinese firms were among the biggest gainers in the 2014 ranking, with Internet giant Tencent moving up to 14th place, leaving behind Facebook, Disney and Samsung.
Seven German companies also made it into the top 100, with Deutsche Telekom ending up in 27th position and BMW in 32nd.
hg/nz (dpa, millwardbrown.com)