Google ousts Apple as world's most valuable brand, Microsoft rises to fourth

Google has ousted Apple as the world's most valuable brand, according to a survey commissioned by WPP and conducted by research company Millward Brown. Four of the five top brands were technology companies - Google, Apple, IBM and Microsoft - with McDonald's completing the top five as the only non-tech company.

Apple's brand value fell by $148 billion, or 20 percent year-over-year, according to the survey meaning that the Apple has had to cede the crown to Google, whose brand grew 40% to over $159 billion. Microsoft's value sits at $90 billion with a year-over-year increase of 29%. IBM was crowned third most valuable brand, now valued at $108 billion, trailing Apple and Google by a significant margin. Twitter and LinkedIn made the list for the first time this year with values of $13.8 billion and $12 billion, respectively. Facebook topped the list for the social giants gaining a brand value of $35 billion, ranking it 21st. 

Millward Brown's Global BrandZ director Peter Walshe explained Google's soaring presence to the Telegraph, saying: "To gain more of our mind-space, brands such as Google are making ambitious plays across existing category boundaries." Oscur Yuan, vice president of Millward Brown, told AdWeek that Apple's decline was likely down to their lack of "earth-shattering innovation." Many investors appear to share this concern, which is in part responsible for the decline in the company's stock price from highs of $700 to today's price of $604. 

The top 25 companies can be seen below: 

Source: AdWeek | Top image via CBC News, company rankings table via AdWeek