In what could be seen as a defining moment for tech, Apple has surpassed Coca-Cola to become the most valuable brand on the planet.
An annual report published by Interbrand has listed the biggest global brands each year, since 2000. Coca-Cola has consistently taken the top spot since the survey’s inception — but this year sees Cook & Co. snag number one.
Elsewhere, tech giants have put up a good showing. Google moved into second place — forcing Coca-Cola all the way down into third spot — while IBM and Microsoft fill out the top five. Samsung are at eight, Intel at nine, and Facebook is the biggest riser of 2013, ascending from 69th place to 52nd.
The report uses a combination of financial performance, customer loyalty, and the role each brand plays in a purchasing decision to calculate a brand’s worth. Those calculations value Apple’s brand at $US98.3 billion, Google’s at $US93.3 billion, and Coca-Cola’s $US79.2 billion.
All of which points to a changing face of pop culture. While it’s increasingly clear that technology is pervasive, it clearly also seeps into our psyche on a consumerist level, too. It’s barely relevant to talk about technology in isolation any more; it’s an ingrained part of our everyday lives. This report underscores that sentiment entirely. [Interbrand via NYT]