A Morning Consult poll found that Americans trust a number of large companies like Amazon and Google over personalities like President Trump, Tom Hanks and Oprah, among others, and that distrust in the federal government continues.
- Amazon and Google ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the top five most trusted brands, with Americans’ primary doctors ranking first, the military second and “extreme weather warnings” clocking in fifth.
- Celebrities and other public figures did not rank so highly for trust, with actor Tom Hanks ranking 7th, Oprah 9th, Trump 12th and billionaire investor Warren Buffett 15th.
- The poll also found a generational split, with 58% of Gen Z and 54% of Millennials less likely to trust brands and corporate America, compared to 52% of Baby Boomers.
- Although the poll revealed that Gen Z and Millennials prioritize privacy and strong ethics in companies, Google tied for first with both groups as their number one most-trusted brand—despite some recent negative stories.
- Gen X and Boomers also tied on their number one trusted brand: the United States Postal Service.
- Across all generations surveyed, 46% said they do not trust the average major company to have a mission beyond profit.
Surprising fact: Besides celebrities, Amazon and Google also outranked teachers, law enforcement officers, religious leaders, scientific studies, Wall Street, the news media, health warnings and advisories, as well as labels on food packaging.
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Big number: 54%. That’s the percentage of all Americans surveyed that do not trust corporate America.
Key background: Growing distrust in government and other institutions has gained attention in recent years; July 2019, a Pew Research Center report found that over 80% of survey respondents said trust in federal officials and fellow Americans could improve.
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