Google is Australia’s most influential brand for the second year in a row, according to market researcher Ipsos’ ‘Most Influential Brands’ survey for 2015.

Technology brands dominate the top four places in the list, with eBay jumping three places this year to number two, followed by Microsoft and Facebook.

Locally-owned supermarket chain Woolworths (5th) trumps global tech brands Apple (6th), Samsung (7th) and YouTube (9th).

Samsung and YouTube have both made the top 10 list for the first time, with Samsung jumping seven places this year from 14th in 2014, and YouTube improving from 12th last year.

Hardware chain Bunnings and supermarket rival Coles also made the top 10, in 8th and 10th place respectively.

Brands that have dropped out of the top 10 since last year are Australia Post, Visa and Telstra, which occupied the 8th, 9th and 10th positions respectively in 2014.

Ipsos’ ‘Most Influential Brands’ survey is based on an online survey of 1000 Australian adults. The study compares a list of 100 brands on five factors:

1. Engagement,
2. trustworthy,
3. leading edge,
4. corporate citizenship, and
5. presence.

This is the second year that the study has included brands from Australia.

Ipsos Marketing managing director Gillian O’Sullivan said the brands worst hit in this year’s survey were those more established brands.

“A brand must be seen to be really important in the world today and even impact the way people interact with one another and this year’s study shows just how quickly consumer attitudes towards brands can change.

“To exert influence, a brand needs to impact or change the way people shop, think, act and behave. It needs to become a fundamental part of life, shape consumers’ desires and help consumers get through their day.”

Australia’s most influential brands of 2015 – Top 10 

2014 places are in brackets.

1. Google (1),
2. eBay (5),
3. Microsoft (2),
4. Facebook (3),
5. Woolworths (4),
6. Apple (7),
7. Samsung (14),
8. Bunnings (11),
9. YouTube (12), and
10. Coles (6).

Stay tuned for an in-depth guest post by Gillian O’Sullivan on this study to be published soon.