Google is once again the “Most Influential” brand in Canada according to market research firm Ipsos. It’s the eight straight year the Alphabet Inc. brand has topped the list.
Ipsos evaluates brands across five dimensions: trustworthiness, presence, being leading edge, corporate citizenship and engagement.
“The one factor that many of these have in common is the frequency with which they are used, which results in them being firmly entrenched in day to day life,” said Ipsos in a release revealing the top 10. “The most influential brands are important and relevant; consumers identify with and have an emotional relationship with these brands and couldn’t imagine living their life without them.”
The top half of the rankings was dominated by technology brands, with Amazon and Facebook tied for second overall. That’s the same spot Amazon occupied last year, while Facebook moved up two positions from last year’s ranking.
The top 10 (with change from last year):
#1 Google (-)
#2 Amazon (-)
#3 Facebook (+2)
#4 Microsoft (+1)
#5 Apple (-2)
#6 YouTube (-)
#7 Netflix (+1)
#8 Samsung (+5)
#9 Walmart (-)
#10 Visa (-3)
These brands “possess the exceptional ability to connect with Canadian consumers,” said Ipsos COO Steve Levy. “This connection allows them to occupy rarified air in the marketplace, because our trust in them allows them to influence how we live, work and play.”
The ranking is produced from an online survey of 6,700 Canadians, with sampling weighted to reflect the Canadian population. The research is conducted in partnership with the Association of Canadian Advertisers, the Canadian Media Directors’ Council, and Publicis.
Increased hardware offerings and adoption of Google Assistant were factors in Google’s strong showing again this year. And while the study showed differences across generations, Google was tops with Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.
Conversely, technology brands like Instagram and Snapchat made the top 10 for Gen Z, while Gen X had PC Optimum and Walmart ranked highly.
While several of the top brands were featured in media stories about privacy, protection of data and the spread of misinformation in the last year, Ipsos concluded that privacy is taking a back seat to convenience.
“The point here is that we have been willing to give up so much information and personal space to brands who provide us with more convenience, simplicity, and entertainment in our day to day lives,” said Levy.
