Google tops powerful brand list as value soars 30%

GOOGLE has topped a list of the world’s most powerful brands for the second year running — as its value soars by 30% to $86 billion (€54bn).

A list of the world’s top 100 brands placed Google ahead of General Electric at $71.4bn and Microsoft at $70.8bn.

The combined value of the BrandZ Top 100 list increased by 21%, from $1.6 trillion in 2007 to $1.94 trillion in 2008, more than twice the increase experienced the previous year.