Apple becomes most recognisable global brand

31 January 2005 17:50 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple has taken the top spot as the most recognisable global brand away from Google following a survey by Brandchannel on brands across the globe.

While it probably isn't that The survey also that also put Pixar, also chaired by Steve Jobs, in at number 5 on the list was carried out by just under 2000 readers in 75 countries.

Google, who has held the top slot for the past two years slipped to number 2. The companies involved didn't have to be technology focused however and Ikea, Starbucks and Al Jazeera made up the other three in the top five.

Notable newcomer to the top ten was eBay (at ninth). The American online auctioneer claims 95 million registered users, and in 2004 expanded abroad to Asia, South America and Europe, allowing people all over the world to sell things they don't want and buy things they don't need.

While Apple was the most recognised brand in the US, in Europe and Africa it seems we aren't so tech savvy. Swedish retailer IKEA topped results in the Europe & Africa region in 2004 and in the UK the top three are IKEA, Virgin and H&M.
A total of 1,984 brandchannel readers from 75 countries voted online between November and December 2004.