Google reclaimed its position as the most influential brand in the world in 2005 from Apple. Over the years these two high-tech companies have been exchanging the first two ranks among themselves.

After sitting pretty in the 2002 and 2003 surveys, Google, which went public in 2004, was knocked off the pedestal in 2004 by Apple, which has an impressive array of new products - iPod, iPod nano, iPod Video and Mac Mini.
.
According to the survey, although Apple lost the battle for world dominance this year in global results, it soundly beats Googleon home turf in the US and Canada. Even at home, the two have shared the top five distinctions in the US and Canada results for the last four years.

Newcomer Skype, though well below these two leaders emerged as the third most powerful global brand. Skype had taken-off in Europe before being bought by eBay in September 2005.

Next in the ranks came the old established non IT companies and old favourites in the survey rankings - Starbucks, the global retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee maker, and the Scandinavian modern style furniture and accessories company Ikea.

More than 2,500 people from 99 countries voted in the 2005 poll. The greatest number of voters were in the age range of 26 to 35, with about a third more men voting as women.