Annual rankings spotlight the top 50 global brands, alongside US leaders and the year’s biggest improvers
New York, NY, Jan. 29, 2026— YouGov today released its Best Brand Rankings 2026, revealing the top 50 brands globally and highlighting the companies that consumers rate most highly in the United States and around the world. Drawing on more than six million consumer interviews across 28 markets, the rankings show that technology platforms continue to dominate globally, while trusted household and consumer brands remain resilient, particularly in the US, where everyday relevance and customer satisfaction continue to drive strong brand performance.
United States: Top 10 brands, 2026
1. Amazon
2. BAND-AID
3. Dawn
4. Dove
5. Samsung
6. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
7. M&M’s
8. Amazon Prime
9. YouTube
10. Tylenol
United States: Most improved brands, 2026
1. Cheerios
2. Reese’s
3. Skechers
4. General Mills
5. Lindt
6. Jersey Mike’s
7. BAND-AID
8. Johnson & Johnson
9. Dunkin’
10. Tyson
Key US insights
- Brands that perform well in the US tend to combine scale with everyday relevance, performing strongly on quality and recommendation.
- Several of the most improved brands posted meaningful year-on-year perception gains, signaling recovery or renewed momentum in 2025.
Analysis (Links to more information on top ten brands)
- Tracking Tylenol’s consumer performance through a turbulent year
- Why Americans loves Amazon
- BAND-AID: High-quality, high trust makes the brand a category filter
Global Top 10 brands, 2026
The Top 10 global brands reflect the continued dominance of technology platforms alongside trusted household names:
- Samsung
- YouTube
- adidas
- Nike
- Netflix
- Dettol
- Colgate
- Toyota
Key global insights
- WhatsApp’s top global ranking is underpinned by consumer perceptions of reliability, ease of use, and cost-free international communication.
- Samsung’s high global ranking reflects strong consumer perceptions of product durability, ease of use, and leadership in TV and home entertainment.
- Tech brands dominate the global top five, underscoring how deeply digital platforms are embedded in daily life.
- Health, hygiene, and household brands continue to show resilience in the top 50, reflecting long-term consumer trust.
- Automotive brands remain strong globally, driven by perceptions of reliability and quality.
“What stands out in this year’s global and US rankings is the consistency of the brands at the top,” said Ray Martin, Chief Executive Officer at YouGov America. “In both the US and globally, the strongest performers are brands that have become part of everyday life, consistently meeting consumer expectations around quality, value, and experience in ways people recognize and reward over time.”
The full YouGov Best Brand Rankings 2026 report, including the global top 50 and country-level rankings, is available now.
Methodology:
YouGov Best Brand Rankings 2026 are powered by YouGov BrandIndex, YouGov’s always-on brand tracking tool. Rankings are based on more than six million consumer surveys conducted across 28 markets between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Brand Index scores summarize performance across Impression, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Reputation, and Recommend. See report for more details on the methodology.
Sample size:
Over six million interviews globally; U.S. sample size n > 21,300.
Fieldwork:
January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.
For further information please contact: press@yougov.com
About YouGov
YouGov is a global research data and analytics group. Our mission is to offer unparalleled insight into what the world really thinks and does. With operations in the US, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia Pacific, we have one of the world’s largest research networks.
Above all, YouGov is powered by reality. That stems from a unique panel of millions of registered members across 64 markets, encapsulating some 18 million shopping trips and millions of interconnected data points. Our unique approach to recruiting and engaging with our panel, combined with our state-of-the-art technology platforms, enables us to deliver real-world, real-time insights that lead to better decision-making and a competitive advantage for our clients.
As innovators and pioneers of online market research, we have a strong reputation as a trusted source of accurate data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is regularly referenced by the global press, and we are consistently one of the most quoted market research sources in the world.
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