Internet giant Google has claimed top spot in the YouGov BrandIndex Best Brand rankings for 2016.
The annual rankings are based on YouGov BrandIndex’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?”
Google took out the number one ranking with a Buzz score of 26.1, with its video-sharing subsidiary YouTube coming in second with a 25.4 Buzz score.
Third was supermarket behemoth Aldi with a Buzz score of 24.5, followed by local hardware chain Bunnings, which posted a Buzz score of 22.0, and Toyota, which recorded a 21.3 Buzz score.
PayPal (21.2), Netflix (20.9), Coles (20.5), Facebook (20.5) and Kmart (19.7) rounded out the top 10 brands in the rankings.
See below for an industry breakdown of the rankings:
AUTOMOTIVE
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Toyota | 21.3 |
| 2 | Mazda | 13.5 |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz | 10.3 |
| 4 | BMW | 10.2 |
| 5 | Holden | 9.6 |
DINING QSR/CASUAL
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Subway | 19.2 |
| 2 | Hungry Jack’s | 9.7 |
| 3 | Boost Juice | 9.3 |
| 4 | Bakers Delight | 9.2 |
| 5 | Domino’s Pizza | 8.3 |
ELECTRIC/ CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Apple | 19.6 |
| 2 | Dyson | 14.7 |
| 3 | Samsung | 14.0 |
| 4 | Sony | 12.5 |
| 5 | Microsoft | 12.1 |
FINANCIAL SERVICES: BANKING AND PAYMENT
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | PayPal | 21.2 |
| 2 | Visa | 9.3 |
| 3 | Mastercard | 7.2 |
| 4 | ING Direct | 6.7 |
| 5 | ANZ | 4.4 |
FINANCIAL SERVICES: INSURANCE
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | AAMI | 5.5 |
| 2 | NRMA | 5.2 |
| 3 | Youi | 4.8 |
| 4 | Allianz | 4.6 |
| 5 | Budget Direct | 2.3 |
INTERNET
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | 26.1 | |
| 2 | YouTube | 25.4 |
| 3 | 20.5 | |
| 4 | Gumtree | 16.3 |
| 5 | Skype | 12.4 |
MOBILE DEVICES
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Apple | 11.9 |
| 2 | Apple iPhone | 11.3 |
| 3 | Apple iPad | 8.3 |
| 4 | Samsung | 8.1 |
| 5 | Samsung Tablet | 4.5 |
RETAIL
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Aldi | 24.5 |
| 2 | Bunnings | 22.0 |
| 3 | Coles | 20.5 |
| 4 | Kmart | 19.7 |
| 5 | JB Hi-Fi | 17.8 |
TELECOMS/ PAY TV
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Netflix | 20.9 |
| 2 | Foxtel | 8.9 |
| 3 | iTunes | 7.7 |
| 4 | Optus | 7.5 |
| 5 | Stan | 5.5 |
TRAVEL: AIRLINES
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Qantas | 19.7 |
| 2 | Emirates | 12.4 |
| 3 | Virgin Australia | 12.0 |
| 4 | Singapore Airlines | 9.0 |
| 5 | Air New Zealand | 8.3 |
TRAVEL: BOOKING
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | trivago | 12.7 |
| 2 | tripadvisor | 12.3 |
| 3 | Flight Centre | 10.6 |
| 4 | Booking.com | 10.4 |
| 5 | Airbnb | 5.9 |
TRAVEL: HOTELS
| Rank | Brand | 2016 Score |
| 1 | Novotel | 3.4 |
| 2 | Hilton | 3.4 |
| 3 | Hyatt | 2.8 |
| 4 | Mercure | 2.5 |
| 5 | Marriot | 2.5 |
