Poll: America's Best Brands

YouGov's Best Brand Rankings 2026, released in late January 2026, identifies the strongest brands in the U.S. based on overall brand health, drawing from millions of consumer surveys via YouGov BrandIndex.

The rankings use an Index score averaging six key perceptions: Impression, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Reputation, and Recommend. Data covers January 1 to December 31, 2025, from extensive U.S. tracking (part of over 6 million global interviews across 28 markets).

Amazon ranks as the strongest U.S. brand with an Index score of 54.5. It leads particularly in Satisfaction (63.1, the highest among top brands), driven by convenience, fast delivery, affordability, and seamless experiences. Its score has climbed steadily over years, from around 44.7 in early 2021 to highs near 61 in late 2024, settling around 55-56 by late 2025—reflecting broad appeal despite lower Reputation (37.2) tied to some corporate concerns.

BAND-AID secures second place, excelling in Quality (60.2, topping the top 10), Satisfaction (58.5), and Recommend (54.4). It benefits from trust, reliability for everyday use, and strong loyalty as the default for minor injuries, though Value scores lower due to perceived premium pricing. It also ranked among top improvers (+2.5 points).

The full top 10 strongest brands in the U.S. for 2026 are:

1. Amazon
2. BAND-AID
3. Dawn
4. Dove
5. 
   Samsung
6. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (the only nonprofit, boasting the highest Reputation score)
7. M&M's
8. Amazon Prime
9. YouTube
10. Tylenol

These reflect consumer perceptions of brand strength, differing from pure popularity lists (e.g., where brands like Band-Aid or Heinz often lead on positive opinion percentages). The report also highlights top improvers in the U.S., including Cheerios, Reese’s, Skechers, General Mills, Lindt, Jersey Mike’s, BAND-AID, Johnson & Johnson, Dunkin’, and Tyson.

 

Full details and global comparisons are available in YouGov's report.