Samsung’s reputation among US consumers took a major hit last year, an annual survey has found, as the Korean manufacturer struggled with the fallout over its Galaxy Note 7 recall. As The Korea Herald reports, Samsung came in 49th in this year’s Reputation Quotient Ratings from Harris Poll, which ranks the 100 most visible companies in the US according to public reputation. In last year’s ratings, Samsung ranked seventh, and it ranked third in 2015, ahead of Apple and Google.
Amazon topped Harris Poll’s list for the second consecutive year, followed by Wegmans and Publix Super Markets. Other companies in the top ten include Apple, Google, and Tesla Motors, which was not included in last year’s rankings. Netflix and Microsoft each ranked in the top 20 (18th and 20th, respectively), while Facebook ranked 66th.
Harris Poll’s rankings are based on an online survey of more than 30,000 adults in the US, carried out between November 28th and December 16th of last year. The survey analyzes brand reputation based on six dimensions: social responsibility, vision and leadership, financial performance, products and services, workplace environment, and emotional appeal.
Among the biggest risks to corporate reputation are illegal actions by corporate leaders and lies about products or services, according to Harris Polls. Samsung recalled the Galaxy Note 7 after faulty batteries caused devices to catch fire, and the flagship smartphone was eventually discontinued. Last week, Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was arrested on charges of bribery and embezzlement, as part of an investigation linked to the impeachment of South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Samsung ranked third in last year’s Harris Poll ratings. It ranked 7th in 2016, and third in 2015.