Buoyed by the success of the iPhone and iPad, Apple now boasts the most powerful corporate brand on the planet, according to Millward Brown’s 2011 BrandZ study. That ended a four-year run by Google at the top of the charts. Microsoft, overtaken by Apple in terms of market value last year, ranked fifth while Amazon.com just edged out rival Walmart to take over the 14th slot. Starbucks, meanwhile, saw a 40 percent increase in its brand value as it ranked 72nd on the list.
The report singled out Amazon.com’s rise:
Illustrating how dramatically shopping has changed, Amazon, the online company with no stores, surpassed Walmart as the most valuable retail brand. The company continued to add categories last year, even food, to drive traffic. Since founding the company in 1995, Jeff Bezos has worked to perfect its unparalleled selection, peer reviews and a delivery scheme that builds loyalty.
Fast-growing Facebook cracked the top 50, ranking 35th and showing a massive brand value change of 246 percent. It was the biggest gainer in the list. Here are the top 50:
Advertising Age has more on the report, and you can access the entire BrandZ study here.
