Search engine is number one brand

Google has become the first $100bn company, according to the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Brand report.

Coming at the top of the global list, which includes Vodafone, McDonalds and Amazon, the search engine’s label value rose 16 per cent in just one year.

BrandZ Top 100 is a ranking that identifies the world’s most valuable brands, measured by their US dollar value.

The findings also state that, despite economic problems, Google’s overall value has risen by two per cent, while the search giant is also worth 25 per cent more than rival firm Microsoft.

The report discovered that many people are looking to save money by shopping over the internet. People taking the stay-at-home option have driven a boom in online retail; Amazon has risen 85 per cent in value to $21.3bn, while eBay reached $13bn.

The overall report has shown significant staying power for brand names in the face of the recession. The brand value of the top 100 grew by two per cent to $1.95 trillion (£1.32tn), while the six UK brands featured in the list increased by 11 per cent.

Joanna Seddon, chief executive of marketing analytics company Millward Brown, which created the BrandZ list, said: “In the current environment brand has become even more important because it can help to sustain companies in tough times.”