Apple pops, Wall St firms drop in brand study

Follow us

Tech is shining as the broader reputation of U.S. companies is sinking. Sixty percent of those polled say Corporate America's image got worse over the past year, while only 9 percent thought it improved.

Coca-Cola Co , Amazon.com Inc and Kraft Foods Inc rounded out the top five slots in the survey, which relied on responses from 12,961 people surveyed online in December. Respondents evaluated companies on six qualities: leadership, financial performance, workplace environment, social responsibility, emotional appeal and the quality of products and services.

Walt Disney Co , Johnson & Johnson , Whole Foods Market , Microsoft Corp and United Parcel Service Inc fill out the 2012 top 10.

APPLE THRIVES, FACEBOOK A NON-FACTOR

Apple earned a record high score of 85.62 on a scale of 100, helping the company rise from No. 5 a year ago. In addition to riding Jobs' legacy, Apple's gains were driven by product quality to profitability and environmental record.

"The timing of Jobs' death certainly played a role in bringing out an emotional attachment to the company and reinforced the elements of reputation that he brought (to Apple products)," said Harris Executive Vice President Robert Fronk, who leads the company's analysis of corporate reputations.

Apple, which was floundering a decade ago, is "the pre-eminent American corporation right now," Fronk said.

One of the biggest blemishes on Apple in recent years has been reports of harsh - some say inhumane - working conditions at manufacturing partners abroad, including in China.

In 2010, reports surfaced of a rash of worker suicides at Foxconn, which puts together the iPhone and iPad at its factories in southern China. Apple faced accusations of making migrant laborers lave long hours for paltry wages.