Microsoft is the biggest brand in the UK, knocking arch rival Google off the top spot, according to the latest Superbrands survey. BlackBerry is in third place, while Google has suffered an ignominious fall from first place to fifth.

The 2010 Top 500 (PDF) looked very different this time last year, when Google took pole position and Microsoft was fourth. BlackBerry languished at 42.

Superbrands does not reveal why the changes have happened, but the latest list suggests that UK consumers are flexible when it comes to putting their faith in a business.

Stephen Cheliotis, chief executive at the Centre for Brand Analysis, which conducts the survey, argued that, while technology giants continue to do well, often at each others' expense, other companies are using green agendas, for example, to move forward.

"Once again Microsoft and Google have proved their potency by fighting it out for the top spots, while many other brands have reaffirmed their consistent performance year on year," he said.

"The financial services sector, however, has seen mixed results with investment banks particularly losing ground over the year, while the Co-operative Bank, with its ethically focused strategy and co-operative structure, climbed 91 places."

Financial firms suffered the worst in terms of brand appreciation, perhaps because of the current economic climate. The top 10 'biggest fallers' in this year's list included four banks, and Royal Bank of Scotland left the top 500 altogether to lose its Business Superbrands status for the first time.

Apple was 18th on the list, suggesting that the company has a lot of consumer appeal but is not quite the big brand it thinks it is.