Business Superbrands: Microsoft topples Google to become the leading business brand

Google has dropped to number five in the annual Business Superbrands Top 500 survey, compiled by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA), with Rolls-Royce retaining its position in second place.

The TCBA selects an initial list of 1,200 brands, which is whittled down to a shortlist of 500 by a panel of 25 experts.

They are then voted on by more than 1,700 business professionals, choosing a rating between one and 10 for each brand, before the results are combined and a final ranking is assigned.

Handset manufacturer BlackBerry is the highest new entry in the top 10, up from 42nd place to third, while the Rolls-Royce Group and Virgin Atlantic have been voted into second and fourth place respectively. Nokia, Bupa, BP and Michelin have all fallen from the top 10.

Hotel chain Premier Inn, whose ad campaign is fronted by comedian Lenny Henry, is the most upwardly mobile brand on the list, climbing from 437 to 240th place.

Insurance giant Aviva, which rebranded from Norwich Union last year, is the second highest-grower. Supported by its high-budget campaign featuring A-list celebrities such as Bruce Willis and Ringo Starr, Aviva climbed from 315 to 144th place in the rankings.

"We are very proud of the speed with which the Aviva brand has become a major asset for our business," said Amanda Mackenzie, chief marketing officer at Aviva.

"Our re-brand from Norwich Union is more than just a new name, it reflects the way we're transforming the business to recognise and service customers' needs and that's an ongoing journey," she adds.

Investment banks Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan both suffered as a result of the global recession, dropping 147 and 152 places respectively. Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding climate change appears to have taken its toll on government-backed organisation Carbon Trust, which slipped 167 places to 474 on the list.

Stephen Cheliotis, chairman of TBCA, said: "Once again Microsoft and Google have proved their potency by fighting it out for the top spots. The financial services sector however, has seen mixed results, with the investment banks particularly losing ground over the year."