Amazon parcelsThen internet is where it's at. Amazon, Google and BBC iPlayer have topped 850-plus brands to become the most highly rated brands in the UK, according to pollsters YouGov.

Traditional favourite M&S has dropped out of the top three as the high street retailer reported its worst trading in three years leading to heads rolling – non-food head Kate Bostock exited this week after sales fell 6.8%.

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YouGov's BrandIndex

  • Amazon 58.1
  • Google 54.8
  • BBC iPlayer 53.7
  • Marks & Spencer 52.2
  • BBC 51.71
  • Heinz 47.9
  • John Lewis 46.5
  • Sony 45.2
  • Boots 43.1
  • Cadbury 42.4
  • Sainsbury's 40.8
  • Channel 4 39.7
  • Cathedral City 38.5
  • Samsung 38.4
  • Maltesers 37.8
  • Colgate 37.4
  • Freeview 37.3
  • Waterstones 37.1
  • Dyson 36.9
  • Bosch 36.6

YouGov's BrandIndex bi-annual league table measures daily perception of brands amongst the public – highlights which consumer brands have been able to cut through and make a positive and lasting impression.

Amazing Amazon

Back in January – when 2011 rankings were published – Google, Amazon and M&S took first, second and third position respectively. This time around, however, Amazon has managed to overtake Google, and for the first time holds the top spot. Newcomer BBC iPlayer shoots towards the top, coming in third.

YouGov reckons Amazon's rise to the top re-iterates its dominance in the online retail space. A recent signing with Waterstones to sell its e-reader, alongside the imminent launch of an Android Appstore in Europe further positions Amazon as a player – not just in the online retail space – but in the broader tech space.

Despite the shambolic reporting of the Royal Jubilee Pageant the BBC brand has managed to secure fifth place – further underpinning its status as one of the UK's masterbrands. BUT the BBC iPlayer has managed to climb into the top 3.

Google a goner?

Google maintains a top three position but its drop in rank (down six points from 2011 to 2012) indicates that consumer perception of the brand – which many perceive as "untouchable" – is starting to wane.

2012 has not been viewed as a great year for the tech giant; privacy issues earlier in the year, combined with Google+ being widely regarded as a flop, may have dented the brand's image.

Despite this, YouGov reckons Google remains in a strong position: the recent acquisition of Motorola strengthens its offering (due, in part, to newly-acquired patent access), and innovations such as Google Glasses reinforce the brand's status as pioneers in its field, YouGov said.

Tech firms on the rise

Alongside BBC iPlayer, other newcomers to the 2012 ranking include: Samsung (13), Freeview (14) and Dyson (18) – at the expense of Dove, Walkers, Panasonic and Thorntons.

Sarah Murphy, YouGov's associate director, BrandIndex, commented on the findings: "BBC iPlayer overtaking M&S in the top three demonstrates the great amount that the broadcaster has delivered in the last year, whilst dealing with reduced funding – a great achievement. Despite M&S falling out of the top three, they still have shown great resilience in a sector that has experienced significant declines over the past year.

"Google's decline is statistically significant and is driven by all the brand measures that comprise the Index score – this is certainly a brand to watch over the next 6 months."

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