4 Min Read
The 2026 Axios Harris Poll 100 Corporate Reputation Rankings
An America This Week Special Report
Hello from Miami.
We released our eighth annual Axios Harris Poll 100 corporate reputation rankings on Tuesday. Based on 30 years of Harris Poll research, the survey is unique in that it ranks what ordinary Americans (aka your consumers) think of your corporate reputation.
Life is anything but ordinary for Americans. Amid tariffs, wars, inflation, and AI, they gravitate toward companies that provide stability, fairness, and well-being, fostering confidence in these brands.
Chewy tops the list as the most admired company, followed by Toyota, Samsung, NVIDIA, and Costco. And companies with the biggest reputation gains this year were those previously caught up in culture wars and consumer backlash – UnitedHealth Group, Tesla, and Southwest.
Check out the full rankings here.
Let’s go a bit deeper into the findings in our reporting with Axios:
GOP Embraces AI Over Dems
As Margaret Talev reports, Democrats are growing skeptical of the AI industry while Republicans report a more positive viewpoint.
- Why this matters: This represents a significant shift in just two years, since the White House changed hands and AI advancements accelerated.
- Zooming in: OpenAI is a perfect example. There was only one difference in reputation score in 2024, but today the gap has widened to 12 points toward Republicans.
- TikTok, Nvidia, Meta, X, and other AI-related companies also show a widening partisan gap in this year’s reporting.
- By the numbers: Republicans were likely to say their opinions of AI have become more positive in the last year (44% v. D: 35%).
Takeaway: “AI executives’ own predictions of job disruptions are fueling Americans’ apprehension. So are concerns over data centers, higher energy costs, AI misuse and federal government overreach,” writes Talev. That’s not the only gap noted. We found that more Gen Z believe AI will harm job opportunities and wages for people like them (42% v. MLS: 33%, Gen X: 39%, Boomers+: 37%).
The Shift Toward Politically Neutral Brands
We also found that Americans’ favorite brands are more politically neutral.
- Why this matters: It’s a shift from the pandemic and post-pandemic era when highly regarded companies were often ones with clear corporate values, even if they were politically polarizing.
- The context: The average polarization score — the gap between how Republicans and Democrats view a brand’s reputation — dropped from 2.55 a year ago to 2.3 today among the 10 highest-rated companies.
- By the numbers: IBM, Reddit, and Apple remain politically neutral. Chewy and Samsung made the top 10 for both Democrats and Republicans this year, while only Arizona Beverage Co. landed on both lists last year.
Takeaway: To be in the center is actually really hot and really appealing. With all the economic concerns and AI concerns weighing on Americans, gray is the new black.
The Case for Optimism
- Context: Wellness is about having durable, reliable relationships (Toyota, Honda, Samsung, and even Anthropic). And companies that build communities of caring and bring value and integrity (Ulta, Costco, USAA, and TJ’s). Better Me = Better Reputation
- Zooming in: Coming in at number one, Chewy’s reputation goes beyond selling pet supplies, extending to emotional connection and support.
- By the numbers: No. 13 Eli Lilly is now more associated with GLP-1 drugs than COVID vaccines. Athletic Brewing (No. 8) embraces non-alcoholic beer, while Alo Yoga (No. 7) has built a brand around wellness wear and fitness convenings.
Takeaway: This basket of companies is a counterweight to all of America’s anxiety. They’re either offering value, allyship, ‘times are tough, we’re going to give you a good price,’ bringing you together, or helping you change your life in some small way.
