Though a brand itself is a pretty intangible asset, most companies know its inherent value, investing large amounts of money in the design, launch, and ongoing promotion of their brands. Good branding, after all, sticks in people's minds.

Brand Finance is a business valuation, and strategy consultancy calculates the value of the top 500 brands in their annual report, Global 500. Four American tech companies top the list, and more Chinese brands are making their presence felt -- both China and the U.S. each have 11 of the top 30 brands. Ten of the top 30 are tech companies, five are telecommunications, four are banks and four are automobile brands.

Brand Finance figures a brand value by estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to it and calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, thus arriving at a 'brand value' - a net economic benefit that would be achieved by licensing the brand in the open market.

Based on Brand Finance's 2019 annual report, these are the world's most valuable brands.

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