The 10 Most Valuable Brands of 2017

If you've been in business long enough, you know that a company's image is everything. Part of why Apple can charge $999 for the new iPhone X is because it has created a brand that customers trust and view as premium. That might be why Apple topped the list of the 18th annual Best Global Brands Report from global brand consultancy Interbrand.

If you want to know how powerful this list is, the companies in the top ten have a combined brand value of $1.87 billion, which represent a 4.2% increase over last year.

Knowing what brands are resonating with consumers can be of particular interest to investors looking for either long-term plays or "the next big thing." The companies on the Best Global Brands list consistently outperform the general market. That's because a solid brand image can help a company weather the dips in the market, as well as give it an extra boost during market highs.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Teresa Kersten is an employee of LinkedIn and is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft. Natalie Walters has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and Facebook. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2020 $150 calls on Apple and short January 2020 $155 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.