Google has regained its title as the most popular global brand in 2005, while Apple was still the top brand in the US. Google, which displaced Apple for the second time, was picked as the brand that "had the most impact"--positive or negative--worldwide, in BrandChannel.com fifth annual online survey of over 2500 readers. Apple and Google have traded the top two spots in each of the past five years, with Apple taking the title in both 2001 and 2004. Both brands garnered more than double the votes of No. 3 Skype, eBay's internet telephony service. Coffee retailer Starbucks, home-furnishing warehouse Ikea, mobile phone manufacturer Nokia, internet portal Yahoo, open-source browser Firefox, internet-auction site eBay, and consumer electronics giant Sony rounded out the top 10 global brands. In the US, the top five brands were Apple, Google, Starbucks, Target, and Lance Armstrong, respectively. "Apple loses the battle for world dominance this year in our Global results but soundly beats Google at home. Similar to the Global contest, the two have shared top five distinction in the US & Canada results for the last four years."

"In 2005's results, Google took the [global] lead from Apple in what is shaping up to be a back and forth contest through the years for these two innovative tech companies. Each year one out-does the other, and this time it is Google's turn to shine....The quirky brand also treated us to Google Earth, arguably the greatest thing to hit the Internet since porn."

Geographically, Sony was top brand in Asia, while Nokia and Ikea were among the top two brands in Europe, and both Corona and Bacardi were the leading brands in Central and Latin America.