Apple for the second consecutive year won the Harris Interactive’s “Brand of the Year” award in three categories. The company beat out rivals including Google, Samsung and Amazon to earn the award for its MacBook computers, iPad and iPhone. Apple’s computers led HP, Dell and Sony, while the iPad bested Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices, Google’s Nexus tablets and Samsung’s various Galaxy tablets. The iPhone was the top brand for mobile devices, ahead of HTC, Samsung and LG. Verizon was also awarded top prepaid carrier of the year for the second consecutive year and top mobile network for the third year in a row. Harris Interactive’s press release follows below.

Apple Pulls a Hat Trick with Brand of the Year Status Across Three Harris Poll EquiTrend® Categories

Tech Categories are Full of Multi-Year Award Companies – Apple, Hewlett Packard and Verizon Wireless; NewEgg.com Makes Debut Appearance

NEW YORK, July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –While many have questioned the post-Steve Jobs fate of Apple, the company continues to hold its spot as a top technology brand across three mainstream categories, according to findings from the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend® (EQ) study. In its first full year under Tim Cook’s stewardship, Apple took home repeat Brand of the Year distinctions in three categories – Computer, Tablet and Mobile Phone – in the annual study, which measures the perceptions of 38,500+ American consumers on more than 1,500 lifestyle, product and service brands across over 155 categories.

“Americans continue to give Apple brands strong ratings,” says Manny Flores, Senior Vice President at Harris Interactive. “And while their Consumer Connection scores are strong within their respective categories, what really stands out is that in all three of the categories Apple brands are measured – Computer, Tablet and Mobile Phone – its Brand Momentum scores are in the top 30 of all 1,500 brands evaluated in the study, showing that consumers see this as a brand of the future.” Consumer Connection measures a brand’s Emotion, Fit, Trust and Performance; Brand Momentum is comprised of Energy, Ubiquity, Future Outlook, Leadership and Popularity.

Apple crunches three categories’ worth of competition

Apple continues to hold the top spot among computer manufacturers, earning the 2013 Harris Poll EquiTrend Brand of the Year. Strong scores for all elements of Brand Equity (Familiarity, Quality and Purchase Consideration) keep the brand at the top.

“Despite a drop in Apple’s Quality score for this year, their Brand Momentum score increased, which was driven by increases in Ubiquity and Popularity scores,” continues Flores.

Hewlett-Packard computers holds steady year-over-year behind Apple computers, but has been unable to match the peak its Brand Equity scores reached in 2011. Also finishing above the category average are Dell, with strong Familiarity and improving Purchase Consideration scores, as well as the style-focused Sony computer brand.

Computer brands ranked above category average:

Apple Computers – 2013ComputerBrand of the Year

Hewlett-Packard (HP) Computers

Dell Computers

Sony Computers

Other Computer brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): Acer Computers, Asus Computers, Compaq Computers, Fujitsu Computers, Gateway Computers, Lenovo Computers, Panasonic Computers, Samsung Computers, Toshiba Computers

In the world of tablets, Apple’s iPad series, which expanded its offerings in 2012 with the iPad mini, receives the Tablet Brand of the Year distinction for the second consecutive year. Amazon’s Kindle Fire series, which also expanded in 2012 with the addition of HD and larger offerings, follows. “While both the Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle Fire series of tablets show small gains in Brand Equity for 2013, they both receive strong increases for Purchase Consideration,” says Flores. “These increases show how the relatively new Tablet technology has grown to meet the needs of both the sophisticated and first time tablet buyer.” Google’s Nexus series, Samsung’s Galaxy series and HP’s Slate series tablets also out-perform the category average.

Tablet brands ranked above category average:

Apple iPad Series –2013 Tablet Brand of the Year

Kindle Fire Series

Google Nexus Series

Samsung Galaxy Series

HP Slate Series

Other Tablet Computer brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): BlackBerry PlayBook (Tablet), Microsoft Surface (Tablet), Motorola XOOM (Tablet), Nook HD Series

Another product category, another repeat Brand of the Year Brand of the Year title for Apple. For the second consecutive year, the iPhone earns the 2013 Mobile Phone Brand of the Year title. HTC, Samsung and LG, each with Android phones in their lineups, also outperform the category average.

Mobile Phone brands ranked above category average:

Apple iPhone – 2013 Mobile Phone Brand of the Year

HTC Phone

Samsung Phone

LG Phone

Other Mobile Phone brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): Blackberry Phone, Kyocera Phone, Motorola Phone, Nokia Phone, Pantech Phone, Sanyo Phone, Sharp Phone, Sony Phone, T-Mobile Phone

Verizon clearly not phoning it in

Also scoring repeat Brand of the Year accolades in multiple categories, Verizon receives the top position in two mobile service categories: the Pre-Paid Mobile Carrier Brand of the Year title (for the second consecutive year) and the Mobile Network Brand of the Year title (for the third year in a row).

“Both Verizon brands receive strong scores straight across the board, including in the areas of Consumer Connection and Brand Momentum,” comments Flores.

AT&T also scores ahead of the category average for both of these categories, while TracFone Wireless outperforms the Pre-Paid Mobile Carrier category average.

Mobile Network brands ranked above category average:

Verizon Mobile Network – Mobile Network Brand of the Year

AT&T Mobile Network

Other Mobile Network brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): Alltel Mobile Network, CenturyLink Mobile Network, Cricket Mobile Network, Sprint Mobile Network, T-Mobile Mobile Network, Virgin Mobile Network, Vonage Mobile Network

Pre-Paid Mobile Carrier brands ranked above category average:

Verizon Wireless (no contract wireless phone) – Pre-Paid Mobile Carrier Brand of the Year

AT&T GoPhone (no contract wireless phone)

TracFone Wireless (no contract wireless phone)

Other Pre-Paid Mobile Carrier brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): Boost Mobile (no contract wireless phone), Cricket Wireless (no contract wireless phone), MetroPCS (no contract wireless phone), NET10 Wireless (no contract wireless phone), Virgin Mobile (no contract wireless phone)

HP sets the tone(r)

When it comes to printing, Hewlett-Packard continues to be recognized as the Printer Brand of the Year for 2013. HP maintains its strength across all measures of Brand Equity, including Familiarity, Quality and Purchase Consideration, as well as Consumer Connection and Brand Momentum, proving Americans still continue to connect with the brand.

Other brands ranking above the category average include Canon, Kodak, and Xerox, with Samsung moving above the category average for 2013.

Printer brands ranked above category average:

HP Printing & Imaging – Printer Brand of the Year

Canon Printing & Imaging

Kodak Printing & Imaging

Samsung Printing & Imaging

Xerox Printing & Imaging

Other Printer brands in study ranked below category average (alphabetically): Brother Printing and Imaging, Dell Printing & Imaging, Epson Printing & Imaging, Konica Minolta Printing & Imaging, Kyocera Mita Printing & Imaging, Lexmark Printing & Imaging, Panasonic Printing & Imaging, Ricoh Printing & Imaging, Sharp Printing & Imaging, Toshiba Printing & Imaging

Newbie Newegg.com named Online Computer Retailer Brand of the Year

Lastly, this year includes a new study category looking at where consumers shop for and purchase computers online. Newegg.com rises to the top of this new study category to earn the Online Computer Retailer Brand of the Year title. While not the most Familiar brand in this category, Newegg.com enjoys strong Quality and Purchase Consideration scores. Underlying Newegg.com’s strong Brand Equity score are strong Consumer Connection scores. Also ranking above the category average are Microsoft.com, Store.Apple.com and BestBuy.com.

Online Computer Retailer brands ranked above category average:

Newegg.com – Online Computer Retailer Brand of the Year

Microsoft.com

Store.Apple.com (Apple Store)

BestBuy.com