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Apple has knocked Google off its four year throne at top spot as the world's most valuable brand.

The value of the technology company's brand rose 85 per cent last year to stand at $153 billion, according to the sixth annual Brandz Top Ten Most Valuable Global Brands.

This means that Apple's brand now comprises almost half its market capitalisation, which last week stood at close to $323 billion.

Indeed, if Apple's brand were a country, it would be the 59th most valuable economy in the world, between Morocco with an estimated gross domestic product of $153.8 billion and Kuwait at $144.3 billion.

The latest analysis means that Apple's brand is now valued at about $75 billion more than Microsoft.

Last May, Apple overtook Microsoft as the world's most valuable technology company when its market capitalisation exceeded its rival for the first time.

The study also shows that Apple is worth almost 860 per cent more than in 2006.

Google is the world's second most valuable brand at $111.5 billion, down two per cent on 2010, and technology companies dominate the top ten list.

McDonald's at number four with a brand valued at $81 billion; Coca-Cola at number six with a valuation of $73.8 billion; and Marlboro at number eight and $67.5 billion, are the only non technology companies in the top ten. China Mobile, at number nine with a brand value of $57.3 billion, is the only non-American company.

Vodafone is Britain's most valuable brand. The telecommunications group's brand is estimated to be worth $43.6 billion, down two per cent on 2010, which makes it almost twice as valuable as that of international banking group HSBC, which is worth $22.6 billion. Tesco is Britain's third most valuable brand, at $21.8 billion, despite losing 15 per cent last year.

Despite a loss in value of 27 per cent since 2010, the study found that BP is the fifth most valuable brand in the UK, with a value of more than $12,500 billion. But it is one position lower than Shell, which has an unchanged brand valuation of $15.2 billion.

Eileen Campbell, chief executive of global research agency Millward Brown, said: 'Our brand valuations are a powerful measure of an organisation's ability to create real and lasting value for shareholders.'

Campbell said that Apple's success is due to its obvious care for its brand. She added: 'By constantly innovating, Apple is able to command a high price premium and weather economic turbulence, providing a global business success story that other brands can learn from.'

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