Coke no longer king of the brands

Coca-Cola is no longer the world's number one brand according to an annual report by Interbrand.

Coca-Cola has been in the top spot for 13 years, since the introduction of the list which ranks the top 100 companies in order of the value of their brand, but this year the beverage giant fell two slots to third place behind Apple and Google.

Brand consultancy Interbrand determines a brand's value by examining its financial performance, role in influencing consumer buying and ability to secure earnings.

Coca-Cola's brand is now valued at $US79.2 billion, according to Interbrand, while Apple's brand value rose 28 per cent to $US98.3 billion, and Google's rose 34 per cent $US93.3 billion.

"Every so often, a company changes our lives - not just with its products, but with its ethos," the CEO of the US-based Interbrand, Jez Frampton, said of the new number one, Apple.

Technology firms are becoming increasingly well represented in the top ten, which in descending order includes IBM, Microsoft, GE, McDonald's, Samsung, Intel and Toyota.