Internet giant Google has topped a poll of the world's most powerful brands.According to research firm Millward Brown's annual top 100 global brand power list, the search engine provider has an estimated value of $86 billion.
Meanwhile, competitor Microsoft came fourth in the list, with its brand value said to stand at $70.89 billion.
The figures are derived from a combination of balance sheet values and consumer sentiment.
Commenting on the findings, Peter Walshe, global account director at Millward Brown, stated: "Google's rank has been driven by fantastic financial performance and equity value," the Guardian reports.
The news will be welcomed by Google, which recently announced impressive first quarter revenue results.
Last week, the search engine provider reported revenue of $5.19 billion for the first three months of 2008, a sum which significantly exceeded the expectations of the majority of investors.
The top five positions remained unchanged year-on-year, with each of the five companies achieving growth of at least 15 per cent compared to 2007.
Meanwhile, the top 100 brands combined have increased in estimated value by 21 per cent over the past two years to reach $1.94 trillion.
Brands in emerging Asian markets, such as China, were also reported to have achieved success compared to those in more established Asian countries.
Indeed, the top Chinese brands had risen in estimated value by 51 per cent this year, compared to just seven per cent in Japan and Korea.
