Apple Tops Google as World's Most Valuable Brand...favorite Women Brand

Apple surpassed Google to become the world's most valuable brand in 2011, according to the BrandZ ranking of the 100 most valuable global brands from Millward Brown. Facebook joined the Top 100 for first time, at No. 35, surging 246% in brand value from the previous year.

The value of the Apple brand reached $153.3 billion in 2011 (roughly one-half of the company's current market value), up 84% from the previous year, while Google's brand value fell 2%, to $111.5 billion, ending its four-year run at No. 1.

Apple's rise came on the success of existing and new products (such as the iPad), successful distribution channels (including retail outlets) and  "anticipation of a broadened strategy making the brand a trifecta of cloud computing, software, and innovative, well-designed devices," according to the report.

Overall, tech brands dominated the 2011 BrandZ ranking: Four of the five brand leaders are in technology.

Also Apple has been ranked as the top technology brand among women in the US, who were asked which tech brand or company they admired most, according to a study from Solutions Research Group (SRG).

Apple was followed by Sony, Microsoft, Dell and Hewlett-Packard (HP), MarketingCharts reports.

The open-ended (unaided) question about most-admired brands is part of SRG's Women & Digital Life study, which explores a wide range of digital behaviors among women. Without being prompted, 20% of respondents mentioned Apple, 14% mentioned Sony, 10% mentioned Microsoft, 10% cited Dell and 6% mentioned HP.