Google is also a serious challenger for the no.1 spot, reversing last year's decline to grow +5% in brand value this year. The brand is no.2 in the ranking with a value of $114 billion. IBM is no.3 in the ranking with a brand value of $112 billion.
"Vying for leadership in the smartphone market, Samsung fuelled its huge increase in brand value by balancing a remarkable period of innovation with growing market share - it spent $1.6 billion more on advertising in the last year," said Nick Cooper, MD of Millward Brown Optimor. "Despite a more competitive marketplace and other challengers nipping at its heels, Apple's ability to maintain its no.1 position demonstrates the value that having a strong brand brings to business. People still love the brand regardless of its stock price."
Technology and Telecom brands together make up the largest segment of the BrandZ Top 100, both in the number of brands represented and in their aggregate value, with six in the Top 10. MTN, the African multinational brand, rose 23 percent in brand value, the greatest appreciation in the BrandZ telecom ranking. The brand, which operates throughout Africa and in parts of the Middle East, enjoyed strong revenue and earnings growth following a 15 percent increase in subscribers and a 58.5 percent hike in revenue derived from data.
"The Millward-Brown BrandZ Top 100 Global Brands Listing, which has moved MTN nine places up to number 79, with an overall increase in brand value of 23%, is particularly exciting and timely as we embark on our new vision "to lead the delivery of a bold, new Digital World to our customers" in all our markets," says Jennifer Forrester, Executive for Group Marketing at MTN.
"The listing is recognition that for a global brand to connect with its consumers in each of its markets, it needs to reflect them. Consumers want to see themselves in the brands they admire. They want to see that a brand, local or global, understands them, and knows what it is they want and need. MTN is proud of this recognition. We pledge to continue with our quest to make the lives of our customers a whole lot brighter," says Forrester.
The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study, commissioned by WPP and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor, is now in its eighth year. It is the only ranking that uses the views of potential and current buyers of a brand, alongside financial data, to calculate its value.
The combined value of the Top100 has grown by 77% since 2006. They are now worth $2.6 trillion.
David Roth, CEO of The Store at WPP, said: "This year's ranking highlights the return on investment that brands give businesses. It shows that strong brands bring market share growth, increased profits from being able to command a price premium and greater shareholder returns."
Eileen Campbell, Global CEO of brand research company Millward Brown added: "Brand valuation and other measures that show return on marketing investment give marketers a stronger voice in the boardroom by ensuring that marketing is better understood and accounted for as a key driver of financial and business success."
The Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands 2013
| Rank 2013 | Category | Brand | Brand Value 2013 ($M) | Brand Value Change | Rank 2012 |
| 1 | Technology | Apple | 185,071 | 1% | 1 |
| 2 | Technology | Google | 113,669 | 5% | 3 |
| 3 | Technology | IBM | 112,536 | -3% | 2 |
| 4 | Fast Food | McDonald's | 90,256 | -5% | 4 |
| 5 | Soft drinks | Coca-Cola | 78,415 | 6% | 6 |
| 6 | Telecoms | AT&T | 75,507 | 10% | 8 |
| 7 | Technology | Microsoft | 69,814 | -9% | 5 |
| 8 | Tobacco | Marlboro | 69,383 | -6% | 7 |
| 9 | Credit cards | Visa | 56,060 | 46% | 15 |
| 10 | Telecoms | China Mobile | 55,368 | 18% | 10 |
Key findings highlighted in this year's research report include:
- Top risers provide meaningful differentiation: The Top 10 brand value growth risers score significantly higher than average on the BrandZ equity measures of Meaningful, Different and Salient. Prada grew the most in brand value, by +63%. Outstripping the performance of all other luxury brands it is now no.4 in the luxury category (95 globally) and worth $9.5 billion.
- Brewers experienced a rapid rise: The world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, beer, was the highest growth category in the rankings this year. The Top 10 beer brands grew by +36% and are now worth a combined $63 billion. The sector has benefited from growing sales in Latin America and China. Global brewer Heineken is the third largest beer brand worth $8 billion, and profited from publicity around the James Bond Skyfall movie. Brazil's Brahma beer grew by +61% in the last year and is worth $4 billion.
- High value brands provide faster growth: An analysis of the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands as a 'stock portfolio' over the last eight years shows a highly favorable performance compared to a current stock market index, the S&P500. While the value of the companies in the S&P500 index grew by 23%, the BrandZ portfolio grew by 58%, proving that companies with strong brands are able to deliver better value to their shareholders.
- As technology brands continue to dominate the ranking the sun rises on digital China: Technology and telecoms brands continue to dominate the ranking with 29 brands in the global BrandZ Top 100, worth 43% of the total value of the Top 100, more than $1 trillion. Growth in this sector remains flat. In contrast to a decline in Facebook's brand value, its Chinese equivalent, Tencent, rose 52%, making it one of the Top 10 risers in the ranking with almost 800 million active users. Yahoo also joins the ranking after the appointment of a new CEO from Google lifted expectations and share price which drove the appreciation of brand value.
The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study is available online. It includes a ranking and analysis of the most valuable brands for key regions of the world and 13 market sectors. Download the complete BrandZ ranking here, including regional and category breakdowns, and in-depth insights from WPP companies. The rankings and a great deal more brand insight are also available as a free interactive mobile app for Apple and Android and as an iPad magazine.
