Apple tops brand tree

The recent announcement by WPP-owned research company Millward Brown states that Apple is now the most valuable brand. Registering an 84 percent increase in value over the past year, Apple has emerged as the most valuable brand in the world, ending the four-year reign of Google in the sixth annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands study. Driven by the rise of the iPad, the study reports that the Apple brand is now estimated to be worth $153bn. This compares to Google $111bn, IBM $100bn and McDonald's $81bn. The most valuable brand in Europe being UK telecoms company Vodafone, which ranks 12th on the global list, with a brand value of $43bn.