Brand consultant Millward Brown is out with its latest report on the valuation of well-known global brands. Topping the BrandZ Top 100 list again this year is none other than Mac maker Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), whose brand value in 2012 soared by 19% to an estimated $183 billion.
Tech blue-chip IBM (NYSE: IBM) overtook search giant Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) to take the No. 2 spot, pushing Big G down one notch to No. 3. The fourth and fifth place finishers were unchanged, with fast-food eatery McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) valued higher than software giant Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT). That means that four out of the top five brands on the list were tech giants.
|
2012 Rank |
Company |
2011 Brand Value |
2012 Brand Value |
Brand Contribution Index |
Brand Momentum Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $153.29 billion | $182.95 billion | 4 | 10 |
| 2 | IBM | $100.85 billion | $115.99 billion | 4 | 5 |
| 3 | $111.5 billion | $107.86 billion | 4 | 5 | |
| 4 | McDonald's | $81.02 billion | $95.19 billion | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | Microsoft | $78.24 billion | $76.65 billion | 4 | 8 |
Source: Millward Brown.
The Brand Contribution Index that the consultancy calculates represents the role that the brand plays in driving earnings, which is measured on a scale of 1 to 5 (highest). The Brand Momentum Index is an indication of how the brand may drive future earnings on a scale of 1 to 10 (highest).
Apple's Brand Momentum Index score of 10 bodes well for the company's earnings momentum, and the next highest tech brands that earned such a high score were Amazon.com and Facebook, whose brand valuations ranked No. 18 and No. 19, respectively.
Of the top 10, nine of them are American companies, with China Mobile being the only foreigner, at No. 10, with its $47 billion valuation and Brand Momentum Index of 9.
Apple may have a tough time topping the Fortune 500, if ever, but it has no problem claiming top spot here.
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