Technology companies again rule the world in terms of people’s perception of brand value, with Google overtaking Apple for top spot in 2017. That’s according to rankings produced by brand consultancy Brand Finance.
Eight of the top 10 could be loosely called ‘tech’ companies, although telecoms services suppliers AT&T and Verizon might be stretching the terminology. If we really nitpick, Google (or its now renamed parent Alphabet) makes the vast majority of its revenue from online advertising, as does Facebook, which may call into question what we really mean when we talk about ‘tech’ companies.
Amazon is basically an online retailer that dabbles in technology development, but its revenue nearly all comes from selling stuff on the internet.
That pedantry aside, technology companies continue to dominate the top 10. Amazon is a new entry this year (12th in 2016), as are AT&T, Verizon and Samsung.
The ranking is based on interviews with more than three million consumers plus data on the financial and business performance of each company, using data from Bloomberg and Kantar Worldpanel.
Renowned brands such as MacDonald’s, IBM and Coco-cola have fallen out of the Top 10 over the past few years. Global car makers are also losing significance, according to the latest results, with marques Toyota, BMW and Mercedes all falling down Brand Finance’s complete list of 500 brands.
