It is surprising. But when you think about it, this is a measure of brand strength; it seems to me that Apple has spread its brand recognition among a few of its own blockbuster products: the iPod, iTunes and Mac. So that when you think of Apple's products, you think of them by their strong individual branding, not as Apple products first. Contrast that with Microsoft, which puts its name first on all its products: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, etc...and that's why they're in the top 5.
They put an "i" in front of like everything, I think that's their "branding" so to speak. It's not as direct as Microsoft, but whenever I see something that is iSomething... Apple automatically comes to mind.
You're missing the point. It's an article about brand recognition and strength, worldwide - among a lot of people who don't even have an "i" in their alphabets. In order to accomplish what Coke and Microsoft have worldwide in terms of brand recognition, your brand almost has to be a recognizable symbol, more than words or letters.
It's a worldwide study. But yes, if you want to trace back the beginnings of the obesity epidemic in America, look back no farther than the 1970s, when pop makers started using high fructose corn syrup in place of sugar. The key to why us and not the rest of the world (as much)? The rest of the world mostly still uses sugar. In fact, some countries have banned HFCS.
