Apple moves up to the #2 spot in Brand Value

Top U.S. Brands via Brand Finance 

According to Brand Finance, a London-based research firm, Apple is now second to Google in brand value after a 33% increase to overtake IBM, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and GE for the first time. The firm attributes Apple’s success to “innovative design, loyal consumer base and well-executed marketing activities.”

Google, sitting in the top spot with a brand value of almost $48.3 billion was up 9% among the top 30 U.S. brands analyzed by the Brand Finance. Other top companies other than Apple and Google all seen a significant drop including Microsoft down 9% to $39 billion, and IBM and AT&T both experiencing decreases from the year previous.

Fortune is quick to point out that a recent brand valuation in May by BrandZ actually placed Apple atop the list, beating out Google and others with a brand value of $153.5 billion.

The firm also notes that the combined value of brands appearing in their top 100 fell by over 2% since January, citing suffering American banks Bank of American and Wells Fargo as the cause.

Brand Finance uses a number of stats to conclude a brand value of a company’s trademark and intellectual properties. The report explains:

The BrandFinance® Nation Brands Index, developed in conjunction with Simon Anholt the nation branding guru, is the most extensive and thorough analysis of nation brand values. It is calculated by applying a similar methodology to the one used to value commercial brands. The analysis uses detailed economic data,infrastructure data and perceptual market research data to rate and then value each nation brand.