Apple and Google ranked world’s most valuable brands for fifth year running

Apple, Google and Microsoft are the three most valuable brands in the world, according to Interbrand’s 2017 Best Global Brands report.

Now in its 18th year, the brand consultancy’s annual report ranks the top 100 global brands based on their cumulative value.

Interbrand’s ranking system for what makes a “valuable brand” takes three main factors into account; the financial performance of a brand’s products and services, the role it plays in influencing customer choice and the strength it has to secure earnings for the company.

It is the fifth consecutive year that Apple and Google have held the top two spots, while Microsoft jumped to the third highest position after reporting a 10% increase in its brand value since 2016.

Facebook is the top growing brand for the second year running, seeing a 48% brand value increase and climbing to eighth position compared to 15th in 2016.

Technology industry

The other top growing brands this year include Amazon (up by 29%), Adobe (19%), Adidas (17%) and Starbucks (16%).

The technology sector dominates the rankings, with half of the top 10 brands all being tech companies. Other key sectors included in this year’s report are automotive – which had the largest number of brands overall in the top 100 – financial services, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

This year’s list also includes three new entrants; Netflix at 78, Salesforce.com at 84, and a re-entry for Ferrari at 88 following a hiatus since 2013.

Read Interbrand’s 2017 Best Global Brands report in full here.