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Iconic computer label Apple just barely kept back YouTube for the
runner-up slot.
Coming in at the fourth spot is the "spreading-like-Google
Wikipedia". Interestingly, the backbone of both YouTube and
Wikipedia is user-created content.
Since its creation in 2001, Wikipedia has grown slowly and steadily
to become the premier online research tool.
For perennial Asia-Pacific winner Sony, it was the best of times,
it was the worst of times. Gamers drooled at the release of the
long-awaited PlayStation 3 game console, and Sony's digital camera,
mobile phone, and film divisions (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of
Ricky Bobby drove in $162 million worldwide) were successful. But
laptop users were inconvenienced (or, in some cases, risked burns)
by malfunctioning Sony-made batteries. Companies including Apple,
Toshiba, Dell, and Lenovo recalled millions of these power cells,
resulting in a second-quarter net-income loss of 94 percent.
Toyota is Toyota so no surprises there really except over how Sony
stayed ahead of it, considering the kind of year the electronics
giant had. Toyota is on target to become the world's largest automaker
this year.
Coming in behind Toyota is multinational bank HBSC cashing in at
third place, its highest ranking ever. Number four and five are
Samsung and Honda.
More than 3,600 people from 99 countries voted in the 2006 poll.
The greatest number of voters fell in the age range of 26 to 35
year olds, with an almost equal number of men and women. Voters
claiming employment with actual brands as opposed to agencies was
greater by half.
Respondents per region were: 3,625 for Global; 1,595 for US &
Canada; 1,420 for Asia-Pacific; 1,358 for Europe & Africa; and
581 for Latin America.
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