Apple is still the world’s top brand for the second year, with a 19% increase in brand value to worth $182.9bn, according to Millward Brown’s annual BrandZTop 100 report.
The report revealed that IBM grew 15% in value to $115.9bn followed by Google at third place in the ranking at $107.8bn.
Eight year old Facebook rose 74% in value to $33.2bn, after its IPO last week, being the fastest brand value riser in the ranking, moved up to No.19 from No.35.
Millward Brown Global CEO Eileen Campbell said, "Despite a prolonged period of economic stress, political uncertainty and natural disasters that buffeted brands across many categories, the value of the world’s leading brands keeps rising across many categories, sustaining and nurturing businesses."
The report, however, noted Apple faces future competition from Samsung, with a value of more than $14.1bn, and successfully outpacing Apple in a significant number of markets by offering a well-priced alternative to the ubiquitous iPhone.
Technology or telecoms brands constituted seven of the top 10 brands with AT&T at number eight with a value of $68.87bn, followed by Verizon at number nine with $49.15bn, and China Mobile at top 10 with $47.04bn.
This year’s ranking sees the arrival of the first African brand in the list of the world’s most popular brands, with South African mobile company MTN, at number 88 at a brand value of $9.2bn.
