Both Apple and Google failed to place among the top 10 best-perceived brands in the first half of 2013, according to market research from YouGov BrandIndex.
Go straight to the list of America's favorite brands >
In the second half of 2012, Apple fell from the list while Google held on to 10th place. Both drops are a surprise considering Apple's dominance in consumer satisfaction and Google's market share lead with Android and search.
Impressively, Amazon shows up on the list twice: once for the company as a whole, and again for its Kindle brand of e-readers and tablets.
YouGov BrandIndex measures consumer perception on a daily basis. The firm interviews 5,000 people each weekday from a representative US population sample, resulting in more than 1.2 million interviews per year.
All brands were measured using the firm's "Buzz" score, which asks respondents: "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?"
Brand scores range from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. For example, a score of zero means that the brand received an equal amount of positive and negative feedback.
So which companies are America's most-loved brands right now?
10. Cheerios
According to YouGov BrandIndex's explanations for why each company does well with consumers, "Cheerios is the third food and drink brand to make it to the top-ten list, behind Subway and V8. The cereal announced a new twist to its classic breakfast offerings with the Peanut Butter Toast Crunch and Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch in January this year.
Cheerios gained positive media attention for its “Just Checking” spot, which featured a mixed-race family, in which a girl asked her mom if Cheerios are really good for your heart. Despite fuss made by some consumers on their social media pages, Cheerios stood by the campaign, saying General Mills casted the actors to reflect the changing US population."
9. Kindle
"Amazon has made it to the top-ten Buzz list twice – this time with its e-reader brand, Kindle. The Kindle Fire HD has been sold globally this year since its US release in late 2012, and the brand remains the best selling e-reader in the US.
Updates to the Kindle App have kept the name compatible for use with Android and iPhone devices, and in May Amazon launched its own currency, Amazon Coins, for use on the Kindle App Store and Kindle Fire device. All Kindle Fire users in America were given 500 Amazon Coins worth $5 for free, which perhaps boosted the brand’s reputation among customers."
8. YouTube
"YouTube is the top brand for LGBT consumers, and recently promoted its celebration of same-sex Supreme Court verdicts with a “Proud to Love” video. YouTube encouraged website users to share its stance, saying it would “strive to make YouTube a place where all communities can feel proud to express themselves and connect through video.”
The video brand has managed to stay current by acting as a vehicle for major news stories – from the recent Paula Deen video apology to airing the premier of Dexter’s eighth season. The social networking site has also expanded its paid-for section by offering a range of movies to its users."
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