• Reuters, Tuesday, January 24, 2006 11:33 AM

In an indication of just how far the Internet and online communications have come, Google has emerged as the most influential brand on the planet, according to an annual survey by online branding magazine brandchannel.com. Apple, the maker of the ubiquitous and amazingly successful iPod digital music player, came in second. The global poll queried more than 2500 branding professionals and students worldwide who, despite the online nature of the exercise, voted for a surprisingly high number of conventional candidates. Newcomers included the eBay-owned Web phone service Skype, which made its debut at No. 3.

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