Ranking shows the two are becoming world’s favorite brands

Jul 22, 2016 07:42 GMT  ·  By

New research conducted by Future Brand, a firm that’s specialized in gathering and analyzing data about companies and brands around the world, shows that Apple and Microsoft are currently the leading names in a ranking based on global public perception.

Future Brand analyzed perception strength and focused on the top 100 companies worldwide by market capitalization, with 3,000 consumers from a total of 17 countries giving ratings for each brand on a number of factors.

Apple has thus managed to top the charts after, in 2015, it was only the runner-up to Google, which is now part of Alphabet (ranked 21st). Microsoft is now second, a jump of one position from the previous year, while Samsung is third, with the South Koreans recording one of the most surprising increases from position 33 the previous year - the Samsung Galaxy S7 certainly helped a lot, as the new phone sold like hot cakes and even managed to overtake the iPhone in some markets.

Apple and Microsoft, leaders in innovation

If you’re asking the participants in the study, Apple excels in terms of innovation, authenticity, individuality, purpose, and pleasure, but could also improve as far as resource management, wellbeing, and respect are concerned.

Microsoft does well when it comes to purpose, innovation (HoloLens is undoubtedly one of the most innovating product in years), story, trust, and people, but isn’t so impressive in terms of pleasure, resource management, and respect, almost the same areas on which Apple needs to focus more too.

The same story for Samsung, but the Koreans need to improve their resource management, the respondents believe, but are surprising as far as pleasure and personality are concerned.

Tech companies are generally at the top of the new Future Brand chart, but it’s worth mentioning that this is the first year when Starbucks enters the top 100 and is ranked 36th thanks to its focus on personality, pleasure, and individuality.

Microsoft excels in terms of innovation
Microsoft excels in terms of innovation

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Apple and Microsoft top the charts this year
Microsoft excels in terms of innovation
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