Did Apple have what it takes to overtake Google’s four-year reign as the world's most valuable brand?

Now worth $153 billion (R 1 028 billion), Apple’s consumer goods propelled the brand past Google and Microsoft to become the most valuable technology company last year.

Peter Walshe, global brands director of Millward Brown, says it’s simply because the brand is doing what luxury brands do and breaking the rules. "The higher price the brand is, the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire [for their products]," he said.

Of the other technology brands in the top 10 reported were: Google at number two, IBM at number three, and Microsoft at number five. Social networks fared poorly with Facebook lagging at number 35 with a brand value of $19.1 billion (R 128 billion).

The full report is at www.millwardbrown.com/brandz.

Does the Apple brand represent wealth to you?