The best companies to do PR for, by reputation, were BMW, Google, Daimler, Rolex and LEGO in the Reputation Institute's 2015 Global RepTrak 100. BMW ranked first, Google second, and Disney fell from a shared first place in 2014 to sixth. Five of the top ten companies, BMW, Google, LEGO, Disney and Apple, show how corporate reputation gets built, and each one is a case study below.
Originally published April 2015. Updated Oct 10, 2026. The rankings below are the 2015 findings, and company reputations have shifted since. For current coverage, see The PR Firms Directory and the AI Reputation Management Hub.
What was the 2015 Global RepTrak 100?
The Global RepTrak 100 is the Reputation Institute's annual ranking of the world's most reputable companies. The 2015 edition surveyed more than 60,000 consumers in 15 countries and scored companies on dimensions including products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership and financial performance, according to the Reputation Institute's published findings.
Which companies ranked in the 2015 top ten?
The 2015 Global RepTrak 100 top ten, as reported by Research Live and Campaign, was led by BMW and Google. The table lists the order.
Rank
Company
Case study below
1
BMW
Yes
2
Google
Yes
3
Daimler
No
4
Rolex
No
5
LEGO
Yes
6
The Walt Disney Company
Yes
7
Canon
No
8
Apple
Yes
9
Sony
No
10
Intel
No
1. BMW: how did owner stories build the top reputation?
BMW ranked first in the 2015 Global RepTrak 100 after placing third in 2014, and the Reputation Institute reported that BMW made the top ten in 12 of the 15 countries surveyed. Everything-PR reported in April 2015 that BMW was running a campaign asking owners to share their BMW stories. The approach connects the product to owner emotion rather than a specification sheet, and the customers produce the reputation themselves.
Google ranked second in the 2015 Global RepTrak 100 and led the citizenship and workplace dimensions, according to the Reputation Institute's published notes. The core product is free to anyone with an internet connection, which makes access a reputation asset. Google held this position while facing monopoly accusations in Europe, which shows that product goodwill can outweigh regulatory headlines for a period.
3. LEGO: what makes the brand reputation durable?
LEGO ranked fifth globally and was the most reputable company in North America in the 2015 Global RepTrak 100, according to the Reputation Institute. Forbes noted that LEGO has scored well every year the Reputation Institute has run the study. The lesson for PR teams is consistency: one product and one audience relationship, delivered the same way for decades.
4. Disney: why did the leader drop to sixth?
The Walt Disney Company ranked sixth in the 2015 Global RepTrak 100, down from a shared first place with Google in 2014. Disney's reputation rests on decades of consistent guest experience, employee treatment and brand delivery. The drop shows that even a strong reputation is relative, because rankings move when other companies improve.
5. Apple: what does a top reputation for innovation look like?
Apple ranked eighth overall in 2015 and led the innovation, leadership and performance dimensions, according to the Reputation Institute's published notes. Apple moved from near-failure in the late 1990s to industry leader across several categories within a decade. The case shows that a company can lead on products and performance without leading the overall reputation ranking.
What did the 2015 ranking teach PR professionals?
The 2015 ranking taught PR professionals that consistency and owned customer relationships built the strongest reputations. BMW relied on owner stories, Google on free access, LEGO on decades of consistent delivery, Disney on guest experience, and Apple on products. Each company's reputation rested on something it delivered directly rather than on advertising alone.
BMW had the best reputation in the Reputation Institute's 2015 Global RepTrak 100, ahead of Google in second place and Daimler in third.
How many consumers did the 2015 RepTrak survey include?
The 2015 Global RepTrak 100 surveyed more than 60,000 consumers across 15 countries, according to Research Live and the Reputation Institute.
Did Disney keep its top ranking in 2015?
No. The Walt Disney Company shared first place with Google in 2014 and ranked sixth in the 2015 Global RepTrak 100.
Do these 2015 case studies still matter for PR practitioners?
Yes, because the mechanics behind them are durable: customer-generated stories, free access as a reputation asset and consistent delivery over time still apply, even though the rankings and standings of these companies have shifted. Related reading: The PR Firms Directory, every PR firm Everything-PR has profiled AI Reputation Management Hub
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
