For the first time in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands report’s history, there is a new brand at no. 1: Apple. It is followed by Google, who jumped to the no. 2 position, and Coca-Cola, the brand that previously held the no. 1 position for 13 consecutive years, at no. 3.

This year, the total value of all 100 Best Global Brands is USD $1.5 trillion -- an 8.4% record increase over the total value of the 100 Best Global Brands in 2012.

Apple has appeared on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands ranking since the report’s debut in 2000. In 2000, it ranked no. 36 and had a brand value of USD $6.6 billion, whereas today, its brand value is USD $98.3 billion– almost 15 times the amount.

Apple’s meteoric rise in brand value can be attributed to the way it has created a simple and seamless omnichannel experience for customers who have responded by recognising the support they receive, forming a loyal and active fan base. By keeping customers at the centre of everything it does, the company is able to anticipate what they want next and break new ground in terms of both design and performance.

With 72 million Macs in use and record-breaking sales of both the iPhone and iPad, Apple has made history by unseating Coca-Cola and becoming Interbrand’s most valuable global brand of 2013.

“Every so often, a company changes our lives—not just with its products, but with its ethos. This is why, following Coca-Cola’s 13-year run at the top of Best Global Brands, Apple now ranks no. 1,” said Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s global chief executive officer. “Tim Cook has assembled a solid leadership team and has kept Steve Jobs’ vision intact – a vision that has allowed Apple to deliver on its promise of innovation time and time again.”

Interbrand, publishes Best Global Brands on an annual basis, identifying and examining the top 100 most valuable global brands. Their methodology in calculating this was the first of its kind to become ISO certified as it analyses the many ways a brand benefits an organization, from delivering on customer expectations to driving economic value.