By Stephen Shankland
Friday, September 19 2008 10:30 AM
URL: http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62046310,00.htm

Google's brand name value jumped from 20th place last year to 10th in 2008, according to the latest version of an annual study that ranks the best brands, with only four technology companies ahead of it on the list.

Microsoft slipped from second to third place, edged down a peg by IBM, according to the study by BusinessWeek and Interbrand, which base their results on the value of the brand as judged by how much revenue it will likely earn for the company.

Google showed the strongest gain, with a value that increased 43 percent to US$25.6 billion, the study said. Next in line was 24th-place Apple, whose brand value rose 24 percent to US$13.7 billion.

Coca-Cola remains the top, with a US$66.7 billion in brand value, but technology companies are well represented on the list. No. 5 is Nokia, Intel No. 7, Hewlett-Packard No. 12, Cisco No. 17, Samsung No. 21, Oracle No. 23, and Sony No. 25.

This article was first published as a blog on CNET News.com.