Apple Tops Coke As World’s Most Valuable Brand [Video]

Apple now tops Coca-Cola as the world’s most valuable brand, according to a popular report released on Monday. The report was put out by Interbrand, a consulting company owned by the Omnicom Group.

The report’s purpose is to rank companies based on several factors, including financial performance and brand loyalty. The Los Angeles Times notes that the report estimates the worth of Apple’s brand at $98.3 billion, up 28 percent from last year.

While Coca-Cola’s brand worth also rose, it wasn’t high enough for the drink company to keep its top spot. Instead, its worth was about $79.2 million, up two percent from last year.

The report stated of Apple, “Every so often, a company changes our lives, not just with its product, but also with its ethos. Few brands have enabled so many people to do so much so easily, which is why Apple has legions of adoring fans, as evidenced by the record-breaking launch of the iPhone 5C/5S.”

Today Money notes that Coca-Cola spent 13 years at the top of Best Global Brands. However, this time around, Google and Apple are ahead. With the new results, Coke is only one of two food and drinks retailers in the top 10 list. McDonald’s ranks in at number seven.

Instead of food and drinks, the list is dominated by tech companies. Along with Apple and Google, IBM, Microsoft, GE, Samsung, and Intel also appeared in the top 10. Despite its fall from the top, Interbrand stated that Coca-Cola is still the world’s most recognizable brand.

The company has more than 73.3 million likes on Facebook, while Apple has a mere 1.4 million. Coke is also followed by 1.9 million people on Twitter. In contrast, Apple has no official presence on the microblogging site. The report added, “Coca-Cola achieves impressive global presence through standout ad campaigns, bold design, digital savvy, and a simple, universally relevant theme that weaves throughout the brand’s communications: happiness.”

Are you surprised to hear Apple topped Coca-Cola as the world’s most valuable brand?

[Image via guynamedjames / Shutterstock.com]