14 DAY TRIAL // According to 2017 Reputation Quotient Ratings by Harris Poll, Samsung ranked 49 among the top 100 companies, dropping a staggering 46 positions compared to 2015. In the past three years, Samsung was among the top ten companies in the poll, ranking 3rd in 2015 and 7th in 2016.
Apple managed to rank 5th in the US Reputation Quotient Ratings, down from the second position it held a year before. Apple is expected to improve its reputation rank this year, following the launch of the iPhone 8 anniversary phone with major design changes and advanced specs.
Google ranked eighth this year, from third in the previous year, but Samsung recorded the biggest drop. Amazon kept its leading position, while Facebook managed to rank 66th in the top 100 companies.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Samsung’s brand image was affected following the Galaxy Note 7 recall and discontinuation, which came after multiple cases in which the phone caught fire and brought damages to consumers.
Note 7 recall and arrested officials affected Samsung’s brand image
Some have said that Samsung didn’t handle the recall properly, claiming that the company didn’t inform the CPSC about Note 7 incidents in due time. In addition, Samsung’s heir is involved in a corruption scandal in South Korea, which resulted in his arrest last week. Reports say that the official is the first Samsung leader in the company’s 79-year history to be placed behind bars in a criminal investigation.
To improve brand image, Samsung has released multiple reports showing ways in which the company is working towards improving quality assurance tests for its upcoming products. By promoting transparency, Samsung aims to regain consumer trust ahead of the launch of a new flagship phone, the Galaxy S8.
The Harris Poll Reputation Quotient surveys the general public regarding the reputation of the most visible companies in the US. Around 2.3 million consumers participate in the survey that evaluates public perception about companies, including financial performance, vision and leadership, social responsibility, products and services.