Google Tops Apple as Most Valuable Brand in the World

Google is the most valuable brand in the world, according to the annual BrandZ study by marketing firm Millward Brown. The firm calculates Google's brand value at more than $158 Billion, a 40% rise from last year. That tops the brand value of Apple, which the study found has a brand value of over $147 Billion, falling by 20% and landing it in second place. The calculations are based on how much of a company's value comes from customers' views of it and how likely they are to remain loyal. Other notables include McDonald's, the highest-ranking non-tech company, Visa and Amazon, which both saw 41% increases in brand value, and Twitter and LinkedIn, which entered the top 100 brands for the first time.