The convergence of tech and brands

By

MadTech Staff

·

YouGov Releases Best Brand Rankings 2026, Revealing the Strongest Brands in the US and Worldwide

Annual rankings spotlight the top 50 global brands, alongside US leaders and the year’s biggest improvers

YouGov has 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)

 

Global Top 10 brands, 2026

The Top 10 global brands reflect the continued dominance of technology platforms alongside trusted household names:

  1. WhatsApp
  2. Samsung
  3. YouTube
  4. Google
  5. adidas
  6. Nike
  7. Netflix
  8. Dettol
  9. Colgate
  10. 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.