Americans Rank Corporate Reputations and Google Lands on Top

Since 1999, Harris Interactive has been conducting an annual study that ranks the reputations of Corporate America as viewed by the American public.  In 2008, the Harris Interactive Corporate Reputation study found that 71% of Americans believe the reputation of Corporate America is “poor”, but some companies are bucking the trend and building a positive, public brand reputation. 

At the top of the list of the 60 most visible U.S. companies in terms of having a positive reputation is Google who kicked Microsoft out of the top spot.  Microsoft held the number one spot for just one year after ousting Johnson & Johnson from that position in 2007 for the first time since the study began nine years ago. Check out the top 10 companies below.

Top 10 Corporate America Reputations:

1. Google
2. Johnson & Johnson
3. Intel Corporation
4. General Mills
5. Kraft Foods
6. Berkshire-Hathaway Inc.
7. 3M Company
8. The Coca-Cola Company
9. Honda Motor Co.
10. Microsoft

The 60 companies in the study were ranked using six factors that combined to create a complete Reputation Quotient.  Those six factors are:

• Social responsibility
• Emotional appeal
• Financial performance
• Products and services
• Vision and leadership
• Workplace environment

Google ranked in the top 5 for all six factors that make up the Harris Interactive Reputation Quotient.

I think this is an interesting study of consumers’ perceptions of a brand.  According to a press release by Harris Interactive, Ken Powell, Chairman and CEO of General Mills said, “Reputation can be measured in recognition, employee recruitment and retention, even stock price multiple.  But in the end, we believe the most important measure is trust.  General Mills values its reputation tremendously, and we constantly strive to remain worthy of the trust of our customers, consumers, employees, investors and communities.”

Well said, Ken Powell.  I would add that in addition to earning trust, a critical part of reputation management is understanding and meeting customer expectations.

What do you think of the results of the Harris Interactive Corporate Reputation study?

Image: Harris Interactive