According to new rankings from the Axios/Harris Poll 100, an annual survey to gauge the reputations of the 100 most visible brands in United States, Delta and Spirit are the only travel pureplays featured in the list. The survey this year focused on how the social issues companies are increasingly leaving into affect their reputation. For Delta, its has improved significantly since 2021, along with its trust and culture scores. Last year’s survey was conducted less than two months after the company faced criticism for its slow response on Georgia’s voting rights bill.
The findings suggest that companies that are slow to respond to political crises, or do it inconsistently, suffer the most in terms of consumer reception and trust.
Disney, which has theme parks and hotels and cruises, was one of the biggest droppers of the rankings, mainly due to its controversies around the Florida culture wars. From the Axios story:
- Disney’s ranking dropped significantly — from 37th last year to 65th this year — likely because of its decision to speak out about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill after initially opting not to address it.
- “Disney’s about face shows the reputational hit that comes when the public perceives you as being calculating rather than clear in what you believe in and stand for,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.
