US and UK: Tech brands of the year
In the United States, Amazon is the most high-profile tech brand, according to YouGov data. The brand comes out on top despite a tumultous year that wreaked havoc on global supply chains and by extension the brand’s core business of delivering consumer goods at seemingly imposible speeds.
The tech firm posted a yearly Buzz score of 19.3, which marks a 5.2-point year-over-year decline on 2020. However, the brand claimed the top spot on our list, unseating the now-No. 2 iPhone brand. Apple’s flagship device comes in second with Buzz score of 18.6. YouGov intelligence shows how Buzz around the iPhone brand lagged in 2021 compared to past launches. The Apple brand itself also appears on our list in fourth spot with a Buzz score of 13.6.
A brand’s Buzz score is a net measure based of responses to two questions: “Over the past two weeks, which of the following brands have you heard something positive about?” and “Now which of the following brands have you heard something negative about?”. By calculating the difference between these two scores, we create our Buzz metric.
Samsung comes in third in the US with a Buzz score of 17.0, while the company’s mobile brand Galaxy also appears on our list in eighth place with a score of 9.0. As Samsung released a slate of new foldable phones this year, YouGov conducted research that indicated interest in such a form factor has decreased, but its cool factor has increased, and fewer Americans think they are just a passing fad.
Perhaps Samsung’s most direct competitor, LG, claims the the fifth spot on our list, putting up a 10.9 Buzz score.
Rounding out the remaining top ten tech brands in the US are Google (Buzz score of 10.0), Dell (9.1), Zoom (8.9), and Sony (8.8).
Turning to the United Kingdom – where Buzz scores in general are lower than in the US – iPhone (9.0) claims the top spot ahead of Samsung (8.3).
Sony, which has a strong footing in the television, camera, and audio spaces, appears in third on the UK list, much higher than in the US.
Apple (4.9) takes the fourth slot, ahead of Microsoft (4.0) in fifth. In 2021 the tech giant released its latest slate of Surface devices including the SurfacePro 8, which came to market with positive reviews. Also, Windows 11 — featuring an updated user interface, widgets, and Android app integration — was reseased as a free upgrade to current Windows 10 users.
Occupying the remaining top ten slots in the UK are Bose (Buzz score of 3.3), Google (3.0), Panasonic (2.7), HP (2.5), and Lenovo (2.4).
Discover the top organizations in your market and industry that have customers buzzing
Receive monthly topical insights about the tech industry, straight to your inbox. Sign up today.
Discover more tech content here