iPod could usurp Coke in battle of the brands

COCA-COLA could soon be toppled off its perch as the world’s most valuable brand, according to a new report.

The famous red logo was once so recognisable the company was able to run a billboard campaign with a bottle of coke and the text: “If you don’t know what this is, welcome to planet earth.’’

But now the company no longer has the monopoly as a host of new labels and products, from Apple to MTV, vie for consumer attention. Its value has declined 4% annually over the past four years, Forbes magazine reports.

In a competitive market where hundreds of brand names jostle for attention, several are emerging as the next big thing.

Apple has shot to the top of the pile thanks to the huge success of its portable iPod music player, making the brand worth €4.4 billion. It has increased its value by 38%, the biggest margin within its industry, according to new research.

More than 400 million tunes have been purchased at the iTunes online store since the tiny stereo became a must-have accessory among young trend setters.

The Blackberry, another new technological invention which provides easy access to emails as well as phone calls, comes in second, having increased its market value by 36% over the last four years.

Websites occupy the next top four spots, reflecting a growing reliance on the internet for everything from shopping to current affairs.

Google, the world’s largest search engine, sifts through eight billion web pages and is now worth €7.2bn. The site is closely followed by Amazon, Yahoo and eBay as the brand names most rapidly increasing in value.

Starbucks, the coffee chain now seen on almost every high street in North America, has increased its value by 25%, having opened an average four stores a day in 2004.

MTV, Nike, Toyota and Formula One are also featured in Forbes top 20 up-and-coming brand names.