Apple, at $153 Billion, Unseats Google as World's Most Valuable Brand

By Peter Jamison Mon., May 9 2011 at 10:12 AM

Categories: Media

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A surge in estimated valuation from sales of products such as the iPad has landed Apple at the top of a survey of the world's most valuable brands, displacing fellow Silicon Valley juggernaut Google.

Financial-research company Millward Brown set the company's current brand value at $153 billion -- an increase of 84 percent since 2009, when it valued Apple at $93 billion. The boost appears to be driven by the consumers' infatuation with the iPad.

Google had reigned at the top of the annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands for four years. This year, the Mountain View-based web services company's brand was valued at $111 billion.

Global-tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft dominated the top of the brand listings, along with purveyors of a few recognizable products, such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Marlboro. Unsurprisingly, the Gulf oil spill had a disastrous effect on the brand value of oil giant BP, leading its valuation to drop by 27 percent to $12 billion.

Facebook, at $70 billion, made its debut on the top 100 list. All in all, it was a fine showing by the local tech industry -- perhaps a celebratory Big Mac, washed down by a Coke and followed by an unfiltered cigarette, are in order.

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