Google is Top Brand in General Sentiment Global Brand Report.

Google was the top global brand, generating $917M of Media Value, followed by fellow tech leaders Apple and Microsoft, according to General Sentiment’s Q3 Top Global Brands Report. Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Yahoo! rounded out the top five in the report, which analyzed the brands that had the most significant impact online in the third quarter of this year.

Apple fell further behind Google in Impact Media Value compared to last quarter. HP and Yahoo! moved to the fourth and fifth positions. Both companies were in flux as a result of CEO firings in September. The remaining five brands in the top ten were Samsung, Sony, Intel, Oracle and Disney, which was the only nontechnology/electronics company that made its way into the top 10.

“This quarter clearly indicates that the technology landscape is changing,” said Greg Artzt, CEO of General Sentiment. “Google widened its gap, through key acquisitions, between itself and its competitors. It will be interesting to see if its bets in the mobile and local services spaces pay off. HP and Yahoo! fired their CEOs this quarter and are struggling to compete. Tablets are here to stay, and companies like Microsoft, Sony, Intel and Samsung are hoping their new tablet products can keep them competitive in a rapidly shifting industry.”

Google held on to the top spot as it sent shockwaves throughout the mobile world by purchasing Motorola Mobility for $12.5B in mid-August. The acquisition allowed Google to obtain control of the hardware for its popular Android operating system. The company also bought survey company Zagat less than a month after its Motorola purchase. The surprising growth of Google’s Facebook competitor, Google Plus, generated significant social media buzz for the company.

Apple’s Impact Media Value fell 16 percent from last quarter, partially because it did not launch any new hit products. However, the company’s existing products performed well, generating a quarterly profit increase of 125 percent. In August, Apple’s success allowed it to surpass Exxon as the most valuable public company in the world. This quarter marked a period of transition for Apple as the resignation of Steve Jobs as CEO raised concerns about the company’s future ingenuity and performance.

News Media coverage about Microsoft dropped off sharply in Q3, resulting in a significant decrease in total Impact Media Value from last quarter. The company revealed its revamped Windows operating system in September, emphasizing its compatibility with mobile devices. However, the company’s announcement of the Windows 8 platform generated less Impact Media Value than a typical Google or Apple presentation. Microsoft needs its mobile platform to resonate with consumers in order to keep up with Google and Apple. Hewlett-Packard jumped up seven spots this quarter as the company announced significant changes to its business model. Struggling to compete with Apple and Google in the mobile space, Hewlett-Packard eliminated its tablet division and indicated that it would be willing to sell off its PC unit. These moves did not save CEO Leo Apotheker as HP replaced him with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

Yahoo! ousted CEO Carol Bartz in September as Bartz failed to turn the struggling company around during her tenure. Bartz’s dismissal generated $18.9K of Impact Media Value in a two-day period. The company moved on, introducing a mobile application for the Android operating software and new features to its Flickr photo- sharing service. Problems with the company’s mail service generated significant amounts of Social Media Value in early August.

Disney’s theme parks and its animation division drove discussion this quarter. Top Associations for Disney included Pixar and The Lion King. Disney released the Pixar-produced Cars 2 in June and a 3D version of The Lion King in September, generating Social Media discussion. The company also announced it would build a theme park land in its Animal Kingdom park based on the popular movie Avatar.

The report also analyzed the top ten winners and losers for Q3 based on Perception Media Value, which measures brands with a focus on the quality of the exposure created. Sony, Allianz, Danone, Samsung and Nike ranked as the top five in this category, while losing brands this quarter included Panasonic, UBS, Nescafé, Goldman Sachs and Colgate.

For more information at http://www.generalsentiment.com