The Internet changes everything, including the value of brand names. That’s the message from a global survey that ranks Google as the world’s most valuable brand, pushing aside Microsoft, which topped last year’s survey by UK market research firm Millward Brown Optimor.
Google’s brand is worth $66.4 billion, according to the research firm which uses a combination of financial reports and consumer surveys to establish how much a brand contributes to a company’s worth and prospects. General Electric was ranked second at $61.2 billion, followed by Microsoft at $55 billion. Yahoo, Google’s chief competitor, ranked 42nd.
Among retailers worldwide, Wal-Mart topped the brand rankings, followed by Home Depot, UK retailer Tesco and eBay. Several other U.S. companies with a strong retail presence also figured prominently in the rankings, including Hewlett-Packard at 15, Apple 16, Disney 21 and Home Depot 26. Wal-Mart is No. 12 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide; HP 5, Apple 15, Disney 55 and Home Depot 41.
Internet companies also showed well in the survey’s assessment of brand momentum, which tries to quantify growth in the value of a brand. Among the top 10 companies in brand momentum were Google, Apple, eBay and Amazon. Amazon is No. 1 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.
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