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In a study that ranks “perceived strength” of companies rather than their financial performance, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) took the top spot.

Research firm Future Brand described it selection methodology this way:

We measured global public perception of the Global Top 100 Companies by market capitalization. Our ranking here re-orders the Global Top 100 Companies in terms of perception strength, rather than financial strength

Future Brand said that the ratings were done via “18 attributes across the Purpose and Experience”

Its methodology:

Respondents are not only drawn from an ‘informed public’, in that they know about the companies in question, but that they are in professional jobs, including top leaders and managers. This is critical when we are asking about corporate organizations that sometimes have relatively low general public awareness.

Screening criteria:

By ‘informed’ we mean aware of and know something about at least 7 or more of the Global Top 100 companies – our aim was to understand strength of perceptions and associations of those people who can show reasonable awareness:

By ‘informed’ we mean aware of and know something about at least 7 or more of the Global Top 100 companies – our aim was to understand strength of perceptions and associations of those people who can show reasonable awareness
21-75 years old, balanced between males and females, none were unemployed or students
Top professional, Chairman, MD, VP/SVP or other very Senior Manager, top level Civil Servant, or similar
Skilled Professional, Departmental or Middle Manager, Senior Executive, Departmental or Head Teacher, or similar
Junior Manager, Junior Executive, Shop Owner or Owner of a Small Establishment, Class Teacher, Nurse, or similar
Respondents were asked questions about those companies based on FutureBrand’s proprietary brand associations model, as well as a series of other factors, and provided answers on a multiple choice and qualitative basis. This formed the basis of our quantitative analysis to develop a new ranking of the companies driven by strength of perception across 18 specific attributes within the dimensions of ‘purpose’ and ‘experience’

Apple ranked first, followed by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), Samsung, Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS), Abbvie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV) Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB), Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN).