Apple ends Coke’s reign atop brand-value ranking

After a 13-year reign, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. is no longer the most valuable brand in the world, according to a global brand consultancy.

Apple Inc., a powerhouse in computing with its iPhones, iPads and Macs, now leads Interbrand’s top 100 Best Global Brands list for 2013. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company is followed by No. 2 Google Inc., the top search engine and social media company, and the force behind the Android operating system, which powers Samsung and other devices.

Coca-Cola fell to No. 3.

Interbrand’s latest list reflects the growing clout the technology industry has in influencing consumer tastes and driving demand. Rounding out the top 10 are, in order, No. 4 International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., General Electric Co., McDonald’s Corp., Samsung Electronics Co, Intel Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp.

When Apple appeared on the list for the first time in 2000, it ranked No. 36 and had a brand value of $6.6 billion. Today, the brand that co-founder Steve Jobs made a household name before his 2011 death is

valued at $98.3 billion. The company released a new operating system and two new smartphones in recent weeks and is expected to update its popular tablet in the months ahead.

Interbrand said Apple is able to anticipate what consumers want next and break new ground when it comes to design and performance, creating “a seamless omnichannel experience for customers.”

“Every so often, a company changes our lives — not just with its products, but with its ethos,” said Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s global chief executive officer. “This is why, following Coca-Cola’s 13-year run at the top of Best Global Brands, Apple now ranks No. 1.”

Interbrand arrives at a brand value by considering its financial performance, the role a brand plays in influencing consumer choice, and its strength in commanding a premium price, or in securing a company’s profit.

From last year’s rankings to this year’s rankings, Apple’s brand value rose 28 percent. Google’s value during the period, at $93.3 billion, is up 34 percent. Coca-Cola’s brand value, at $79.2 billion, is up 2 percent.

The total value of the 100 brands is $1.5 trillion, an 8.4 percent increase in value over last year’s list, Interbrand said.

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