Has Apple Made Coca-Cola Go Flat?

By Sam Lewis

Technology giant ends beverage company’s 13-year reign as world’s top brand

Interbrand’s yearly Best Global Brands list was unveiled on Monday, Sept 30. Coca-Cola, which has sat atop the list since its inception in 2000, found itself a few rungs down the ladder, falling to the world’s third most valuable brand behind Apple and Google. Rounding out the top five were computing moguls IBM and Microsoft.

The list is released every year by Interbrand. The company develops the list based on several factors including financial performance, the role the company and its brand plays in consumer influence, and the security of the top money-making products in each brand’s field. “Every so often, a company changes our lives, not just with its products, but with its ethos,” says Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s CEO. “This is why, following Coca-Cola’s 13 year-run atop the Best Global Brands, Apple now ranks number 1.”

Apple is estimated by the report to be valued at $98.3 billion, climbing a whopping 28 percent in value since 2012. Coke also saw a rise in value, but only 2 percent, up to $79.2 billion. But, Coke’s increase in sales was not enough to keep it at the top, and it seems the company has a full understanding as to why it happened.  “We’ve seen the value of technology brands rise as they create new ways for people to stay connected virtually,” says Joe Tripodi, Coke’s chief marketing and commercial leadership officer. “We understand this, as the lasting power of our brand is built on the social moment of sharing a Coca-Cola with friends and family.” Coke conceded its top spot with dignity, congratulating Apple and Google, with Tripodi calling them, “both valued partners of ours.”

As the saying goes, “nothing lasts forever,” and Coke found this out the hard way with Interbrand’s 2013 most valuable brands list. Coke shouldn’t feel too poorly about being knocked from the top of the mountain, though. The 127-year-old beverage manufacturer still holds a solid place in the top five brands in the world, which is absolutely dominated by technology companies. Its’ going to take a lot more than emerging technology companies to take the fizz out of Coke, as it will almost certainly hold its place amongst the world’s top brands for years to come.