Mirror, mirror on the wall, what is the most powerful brand of all? If you answered Apple, you'd be correct. According to Monday data from BrandZ, Apple is most valuable global brand, followed by Google.
Facebook, meanwhile, made its way onto BrandZ's list for the first time at number 35.
BrandZ put the value of the Apple brand at $153 billion, whereas Google nabbed $111 billion. The search giant actually took a dip from last year, when it was the most powerful global brand, but Google did retain its spot as the most desirable technology brand, BrandZ said.
The introduction of the iPhone 4 and the iPad, meanwhile, helped boost Apple's brand value by 84 percent. "Apple understood that its customers wanted access to data and images anywhere, anytime, in easy-to-view definition with an easy-to-use touch interface. In a span of a few months, the brand met these needs with the iPad and iPhone 4," BrandZ said.
BrandZ said it reached its conclusions by examining a brand's ability to generate demand; the dollar value is the sum of all future earnings that brand is forecast to generate, discounted to a present-day value, the company said.
As a result, Facebook's brand value grew 246 percent last year to reach $19.1 billion.
"With almost 600 million members worldwide, Facebook last year was anointed 'The Social Network' by the film of the same name about the firm's founding in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg," BrandZ said. "Ironically, the film's release coincided with Facebook's rapid evolution into a powerful commercial platform exploring ways to monetize its social reach by connecting shoppers, retailers and brand marketers."
Amazon, meanwhile, managed to edge past Walmart to land at number 14 and become the number-one retail brand with a $37.6 billion value. Besting Walmart illustrates "how dramatically shopping has changed," BrandZ said.
Overall, technology brands comprised one-third of the top 100 brands, up from a quarter of the list in 2006. Also in the top 100 were IBM (3), Microsoft (5), AT&T (7), Verizon (13), HP (18), BlackBerry (25), Intel (58), Samsung (67), Nintendo (79), Nokia (81), eBay (82), and Sony (85).