The goal of the study was to calculate the value a brand is expected to generate for its owner in the future. The top brands were shown to contribute tens of billions to future earnings.

Though anti-Microsoft sentiment often runs high, the Millward Brown study showed most consumers hold positive feelings about the brand.

Andy Farr, executive director at Millward Brown Optimor and lead researcher on the study, said: "When you look at what customers and consumers say to us, they do hold Microsoft in high regard."

He added: "They don't love [Microsoft] like they love Google but they respect it."

Google came in seventh overall for global brands and second for the tech sector. It was also the leader for 'brand momentum', or a brand's earning power going forward, one of three criteria the researchers used to rank brands.