Apple has continued to soar in brand value, cementing its position as the world’s number one brand on the Interbrand global Top 100 list for 2015.

Apple’s brand value grew 43% since last year to more than $170 billion, topping the list for the third year in a row.

In second place also for the third year in a row, Google increased in brand value by 12% to more than $120 billion, while Coca-Cola retained its position in number three despite dropping 4% to $78 billion.

Apple knocked Coca-Cola from its 13-year reign at the top of the list back in 2013, while Google took the number two position.

Tech brands dominate the top quarter of the list, with 11 of the top 25 operating within hardware or software technology, or both.

New to the list for this year were Lego in 82nd place, and PayPal, Mini, Moet & Chandon and Lenovo in places 97 to 100 respectively.

No Australian brand made the top 100.

It’s worth noting that these brand value estimates are reliant on Interbrand’s unique set of measures; Milward Brown estimates Apple’s brand value at US$246 billion, while Brand Finance puts it at US$128 billion, as pointed out in The Age by Mark Ritson, associate professor at Melbourne Business School and brand consultant.

All figures are in US dollars.

Interbrand’s global Top 25 brands in 2015

1. Apple (up 43% since 2014) $170 billion,
2. Google (up 12%) $120 billion,
3. Coca-Cola (down 4%) $78 billion,
4. Microsoft (up 11%) $67 billion,
5. IBM (down 10%) $65 billion,
6. Toyota (up 16%) $49 billion,
7. Samsung (0% change) $45 billion,
8. GE (down 7%) $42 billion,
9. McDonald’s (down 6%) $39 billion,
10. Amazon (up 29%) $37 billion,
11. BMW (up 9%) $37 billion,
12. Mercedes-Benz (up 7%) $36 billion,
13. Disney (up 13%) $36 billion,
14. Intel (up 4%) $35 billion,
15. Cisco (down 3%) $29 billion,
16. Oracle (up 5%) $27 billion,
17. Nike (up 16%) $23 billion,
18. HP (down 3%) $23 billion,
19. Honda (up 6%) $22 billion,
20. LouisVuitton (down 1%) $22 billion,
21. H&M (up 5%) $22 billion,
22. Gillette (down 3%) $22 billion,
23. Facebook (up 54%) $22 billion,
24. Pepsi (up 3%) $19 billion, and
25. AmericanExpress (down 3%) $18 billion.

Fast-moving brands

These brands recorded the largest increase in value since 2014:

1. Facebook (up 54%) $22 billion,
2. Apple (up 43% since 2014) $170 billion,
3. Amazon (up 29%) $37 billion,
4. Hermes (up 22%) $10 billion,
5. Nissan (up 19%) $9 billion,
6. 3M (up 17%) $7 billion,
7. Adobe (up 17%) $6 billion,
8. MasterCard (up 17%) $5 billion,
9. Starbucks (up 16%) $6 billion, and
10. FedEx (up 16%) $5 billion.

Fast fallers

The 10 brands that declined most in value since 2014, in order of the highest percentage drop, were:

1. Gucci (down 14%) $8 billion,
2. Thomson Reuters (down 12%) $6 billion,
3. Shell (down 12%) $5 billion,
4. HSBC (down 11%) $11 billion,
5. IBM (down 10%) $65 billion,
6. VW (down 9%) $12 billion,
7. Xerox (down 9%) $6 billion,
8. Philips (down 8%) $9 billion,
9. Adidas (down 8%) $6 billion, and
10. GE (down 7%) $42 billion.

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