These are the 10 most influential brands in Canada

Google is number one on the list. (Image: antb / Shutterstock)

If you Googled “Most Influential Brands in Canada,” and ended up here, then this news should be no surprise to you.

The Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) in partnership with Ipsos unveiled the Top 10 Most Influential Brands in Canada today, and search engine giant Google came out one top.

The list is a “comprehensive study measuring and ranking today’s brands” in Canada and the world, said the ICA in a release.

“Our study measures and ranks today’s most influential brands, why they are leading, which generations they influence most, how they impact us and what makes them influential,” said Steve Levy, COO at Ipsos, in a statement.

“Visionary brands are founded on a sense of purpose that establishes stronger emotional connections. New technologies have enabled ways to capture consumer feedback, and brands that use this data are more relevant than ever before – their influence cannot be overstated.”

The study, he added, reveals insights that apply to any business, large or small.

Other companies on the list included Facebook, Visa, Microsoft, and – because this is Canada after all – Tim Hortons and the CBC.

Most Influential Brands in Canada

Google
Facebook
Microsoft
Apple
Amazon
YouTube
Walmart
Visa
Tim Hortons
CBC

The Most Influential Brands study examines five key dimensions that drive the most influential brands in Canada: being leading edge, trustworthiness, presence, corporate citizenship and engagement.

The study ranks brands according to their influence; this year’s study polled a representative sample of over 6,000 Canadians and more than 40,000 citizens worldwide. Survey findings were analyzed geographically, by gender and across generations including Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and, new this year, Gen Z.

Other findings

Although the Top 10 brands have remained “relatively stable” over the past six years, technology-focused companies are rising to the top as social media drives brand influence, underscoring that influence takes time to build, the release noted.

“The rankings continue to be a combination of digital service/social media, technology, retail and credit card brands.”

Google – the world’s most popular Internet search site — ranks No. 1 for the fifth consecutive year, in part by beefing up its hardware division and using its household name to branch out into new products.

A number of differences were found to exist by generation.

Despite varying attitudes and inclination, Google still tops influence for Millennials, Generation X and Boomers and is second with Generation Z.

On the other hand Boomers gravitate to technologies and brands they grew up with, and while they have adopted search technology such as Google, also prefer traditional sources such as CBC and The Weather Network.

“While each brand must discover its secret sauce to success, those that deliver on trustworthiness, engagement, leading edge, corporate citizenship and presence will undoubtedly exert influence,” said Levy.

Methods

The Most Influential Brands study was conducted in October – November 2016. The online survey of 6,030 Canadians was conducted using the Ipsos iSay Panel.

The results are based on a sample where weighting was employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects Canada’s adult population according to Census data and results approximated the sample universe.