Which brands have improved their perception scores the most so far this year? Research firm YouGov has released a list of the top 20 companies and related trends, as part of its weekly BrandIndex report, which analyzes the most buzzed about brands.

The scores are based on weighing positive and negative perceptions of a brand. A +100 score is positive, a -100 score is negative, and a rating of zero means that the score is neutral. YouGov interviews 5,000 people each weekday from a representative U.S. population sample. Respondents are drawn from an online panel of 1.5 million individuals.

What follows are the report's key findings.








• Dominance of beverages for adults 18 to 34: Of the top 20 score gainers, seven were beverage brands—two teas (Lipton, Nestea), sports drink Gatorade, flavored health drink Sobe Life Water, sugar-free Crystal Light, Snapple, and Smirnoff vodka.

• Resurgence of Toyota and American carmakers: Despite multiple recalls and Congressional hammering, Toyota continued to advertise its vehicles heavily during the first half of this year. While the brand is still struggling with an overall negative perception, its scores have recovered enough to land in the top five for both adults over 18 and adults 18-34. Other car manufacturers to make the list were Volkswagen (up 5.2 points), Chrysler (up 4.0), and Chevrolet (up 3.6).

• Sea World bounces back: When a killer whale caused the death of a trainer at Shamu Stadium, parent company Sea World handled the situation quickly and with expertise. Consumers seem to have viewed this as an isolated accident and moved on rather swiftly, sending Sea World back up sharply across the board. Fellow amusement park operator Six Flags also made the list with a five-point advance for adults over 18.

• Financial Institutions make improvements: Having taken a major hit during the economic meltdown, a few of the more marketing-savvy banks inched their way back into the general public's favor. Capital One, on a roll with its "Vikings" ad campaigns, made a healthy 5.7-point leap into positive territory, followed by Citibank (up 4 points), and Chase (up 3.8 points). Even AIG made a 4.2 gain, although it's still deep in negative perception. Meanwhile, MasterCard saw a 4.3-point improvement.



• Insurance companies get on the 18-34 radar: Traditionally seen as stodgy, insurance companies have gone the hip route this year and two of them scored with the young adult crowd. Allstate registered a 7.8-point gain since kicking off the year as one of the Winter Olympics’ most prominent sponsors of U.S. athletes. The brand then continued with an extensive series of comforting ads narrated by actor Dennis Haysbert. State Farm, making a 6.6-point gain, took an edgier approach by sponsoring rock band OK Go’s viral video, dubbed “This Too Shall Pass.” Additionally, State Farm, with the help of its agency Translation, produced a series of atypical ads featuring young adults.

• Wireless carriers and airlines cater to different age groups: While Verizon Wireless was the only carrier in 18-34 demo with a 7.6-point gain, Sprint went solo when it comes to adults over 18 (with a 4.6-point gain). Also showing different demo preferences were airlines: Southwest and United gained favor with the 18-34 demo, while American Airlines flew for adults over 18.

• NBC and Oxygen rise: NBC was the only broadcast network to improve in buzz scores so far this year, both for adults over 18 (6.6 points), and 18-34 (4.6 points). Oxygen was the only top perceived cable network, increasing 7.2 points among the 18-34 crowd.

• Return of Crocs and Hooters: Two suffering brands were able to boost perception scores in the first half of this year. Shoemaker Crocs increased 6.6 points, and slipped into positive sentiment with adults 18-34; it also improved 4.6 points with adults over 18. Meanwhile, restaurant chain Hooters climbed 7 points with the 18-34 demo.

• Home improvement brands fix perception: Both Lowe’s (up 4.8 points) and Ace Hardware (up 3.7 points) made it to the top 20 list for adults over 18. The brands seem to be benefiting from increased home sales fueled by the recently expired new homebuyers credit and the summer season.