What the Companies With the Worst Reputations All Have in Common

Released annually since 1999, the Harris Poll RQ is a measurement of the brands that, either because of their extraordinary positive or negative impact, are currently top-of-mind for consumers in the US. The survey is designed to quantify how companies are perceived in society—how an organization’s actions translate into its reputation. Basically, RQ reveals which brands people really like and trust, and which brands they really, really don’t.

If you’re wondering what the four brands above did to deserve their places at numbers 97–100 on the list, let’s review:

• Equifax was hit with a massive cybersecurity breach that exposed approximately 145.5 million consumers’ personal data. The consumer credit reporting agency didn’t disclose the attack for several months, and when it did finally make the announcement, Equifax bungled its response in several ways.
• Takata Corporation, an auto parts manufacturer, produced defective airbags found to be connected to numerous injuries and deaths around the world. Although 3.6 million vehicles with Takata airbags were recalled from the market in 2013, the fatalities continued, leading the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall 42 million cars across the US. A New York Times report revealed that the problems may have dated back to a decade before the initial recall. Takata filed for bankruptcy in 2017.
• Wells Fargo has been mired in several scandals over the past couple years. The bank has been fined for creating fake accounts in customers names, modifying customers’ mortgages without their agreement, and charging more than half a million customers for unneeded auto insurance.
• The Weinstein Company became ground zero for the #MeToo movement after more than 80 women accused the company’s co-founder, Harvey Weinstein, of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. A few months after the Weinstein allegations catalyzed a national reckoning over consent and unwanted sexual behavior, the company quietly went bankrupt.

Although the reasons why these 4 companies made it to the bottom of the ranking may seem obvious, the data behind the list reveals a more nuanced story, and RQ’s methodology merits attention. After all, not every company that makes the news for wrongdoing walks away with a damaged brand. Different aspects of consumer perceptions can insulate an organization from the impact of a scandal, or worsen it—which is why RQ evaluates corporate reputation across 6 dimensions.

Take a look at the anatomy of a reputation according to RQ, and (hint, hint) how an automated compliance and HR system can help you manage each dimension: