On the back of the phenomenal success of the latest release in the Star Wars movie franchise, Walt Disney has been named the world’s most powerful brand, taking the crown from Lego.

The annual Global 500 study by Brand Finance, which ranks the world’s most powerful brands, said that Disney was number one for brand strength, followed closely by Lego in second place and L’Oréal in third. The study also revealed that Apple, Google and Samsung are the top three most valuable brands, with Google overtaking Samsung from 2015’s results.

Disney achieved its number one ranking by scoring a 91.8 out of 100 on Brand Finance’s Brand Strength Index, which takes into account brand familiarity, loyalty, promotion, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation. Last year’s winner Lego finished just behind, scoring a 91.6 on the index.

Brand Finance cited the out-of-this-world performance of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the box office, where to date it has made US$1.98bn (€1.8bn, £1.36bn), helping to push Disney to the top of the list.

In addition to acquiring the Star Wars brand, Disney has secured the likes of Marvel Entertainment, The Muppets, Pixar and ESPN in recent years, which Brand Finance said played a significant part in this year’s ranking.

“Though it has long been present amongst the elite group of powerful ‘AAA+’ brands, this
year is the first time Disney has claimed the top spot,” said the report.

“Lego was first last year thanks in part to the success of the Lego Movie. Disney’s success this
year is testament to the enduring power of the silver screen as both a source of, and support for,
the world’s most powerful brands.

“Disney’s brand strength is founded on its rich history and original IP, the classic characters of
Mickey Mouse and friends (Minnie, Donald, Goofy), Disney princesses, etc. However its now dominant position is the result of its many acquisitions and the powerful brands it has brought under its roof.”

In recent years Disney has laid out plans to have a stronger Star Wars presence in its parks. New attractions based on Star Wars debuted at Hollywood Studios in December, with further plans for Shanghai Disneyland and a Star Wars Land at its two US parks. Brand Finance has valued Star Wars at US$10bn (€9.11bn, £6.86bn), a figure that more than double the US$4.05bn (€3.69bn, £2.78bn) Disney paid when it acquired the brand in October 2012.