For the second year in row, Apple has topped Google as the world’s most valuable brand.
The two are the only brands to be valued at more than $100 billion, according to the annual Best Global Brands report.
The ranking, compiled by Interbrand consultancy, considers three main criteria. Besides the financial performance of branded products, it also looks at how the brand influences customer choice, and whether it can push up the price of a product.
Valued at $118.9 billion, Apple increased its value by 21% year-on-year, while Google’s brand value of $107.43 billion jumped 15% compared to last year.
“Apple and Google’s meteoric rise to more than $100 billion is truly a testament to the power of brand building,” according to Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s CEO.
Tech companies are heavily represented in the ranking with IBM (4), Microsoft (5) and Samsung (8) in the top 10.
The ranking is also a good news for the car industry, as four automobile companies — Toyota (8), Mercedes-Benz (10), BMW (11), and Honda (20) — all made in into the top 20. Three other carmakers were among the top rising brands. Audi’s brand value increased 27%, while Volkswagen and Nissan both saw a boost of 23%.
But Facebook was the ranking’s top riser, gaining 86% in brand value and jumping 33 spots to number 29. Facebook has grown again last year, with the number of monthly active users at 1.32 billion, up 14% year-over-year. It’s $2.91 billion revenues in second quarter smashed expectations, growing 61% compared to last year.
Among the ranking’s newbies are DHL (81), Land Rover (91), FedEx (92), Hugo Boss (97), and Huawei (94).
By joining the elite club, the Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei became the first company to represent China in the ranking. The third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, behind Samsung and Apple, reported a 34.4% net profit increase to $3.38 billion in 2013.
