Google was the hottest brand in the world in 2005, followed by Apple, Skype, Starbucks and Ikea, according to an annual survey.
Google, which went public in the summer of 2004, reclaimed the top slot as the world's most influential brand in 2005, beating Apple in what is shaping up to be a back and forth contest through the years for these two high-tech companies.
Apple, which has impressed with its tremendous amount of new product be it iPod, iPod nano, iPod Video and Mac Mini, had knocked Google off the top slot in 2004. Google had headed the list in 2002 and 2003.
According to the survey conducted by online branding magazine brandchannel.Com, although Apple loses the battle for world dominance this year in global results, it soundly beats Google at home. Similar to the global contest, the two have shared top five distinctions in the US and Canada results for the last four years.
Well below these two leaders but taking the third place for global brands is the newcomer Skype, which rapidly took off in Europe before being bought by eBay in September 2005.
Rounding the list of top five were old favourites Starbucks, the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, and Ikea, the Scandinavian modern style furniture and accessories company.
{{/usCountry}}Rounding the list of top five were old favourites Starbucks, the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, and Ikea, the Scandinavian modern style furniture and accessories company.
{{/usCountry}}More than 2,500 people from 99 countries voted in the 2005 poll. The greatest number of voters fell in the age range of 26 to 35, with about a third more men voting as women.