World's favourite brands: Google beats Apple

Apple is no longer the world’s most favourite brand.

Google has surpassed Apple to be ranked as the world's top brand in terms of value, according to global market research agency Millward Brown.

Apple had been the top brand for three years.

While Apple remains a top performing brand, there is a growing perception that it is no longer redefining technology for consumers, reflected by a lack of dramatic new product launches, says Millward Brown.

Take a look at the world’s 10 favourite brands… 

Google

Rank: 1

Brand value: $158.84 billion

Brand value change: 40% 
(2014 vs 2013) 

Google saw its brand value rise by 40 per cent in a year, says the 2014 100 Top BrandZ report.

Nick Cooper, Managing Director of Millward Brown Optimor, commented on the number one brand, “Google has been hugely innovative in the last year with Google Glass, investments in artificial intelligence and a multitude of partnerships that see its Android operating system becoming embedded in other goods such as cars. All of this activity sends a very strong signal to consumers about what Google is about and it has coincided with a slowdown at Apple.”

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Apple

Rank: 2

Brand value: $147.88 billion

Brand value change: -20%

After three years at the top, Apple slipped to No 2 on the back of a 20 per cent decline in brand value.

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IBM

Rank: 3

Brand value: $107.54 billion

Brand value change: -4%

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Microsoft

Rank: 4

Brand value: $90.18 billion

Brand value change: 29%

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McDonald's

Rank: 5

Brand value: $85.70 billion

Brand value change: -5%

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Coca-Cola

Rank: 6

Brand value: $80.68 billion

Brand value change: 3%

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Visa

Rank: 7

Brand value: $79.19 billion

Brand value change: 41%

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AT&T

Rank: 8

Brand value: $77.88 billion

Brand value change:3%

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Marlboro

Rank: 9

Brand value: $67.34 billion

Brand value change: - 3%

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Amazon

Rank: 10

Brand value: $64.25 billion

Brand value change: +41%