The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 18-karat Jubilee gold (a new in-house alloy) with a light green aventurine dial is one of Rolex’s new watches for 2026. The luxury watch brand ranked in the top 10 on YouGov’s recently released list of Most Recommended Brands in the United States. (Photo courtesy of Rolex)
London—In what should be a surprise to no one in the jewelry industry, Rolex ranks among the top 10 most recommended brands in the United States, according to the latest report from market research firm YouGov.
Earlier this month, the company released the U.S. version of its Most Recommended Brands report for 2026.
The report ranks the thousands of brands YouGov tracks by Positive Recommend scores, which are based on the question: Which of the following brands would you recommend to a friend or colleague?
According to YouGov, the No. 1 most recommended brand in the U.S. in 2026 is fast-fashion retailer Zara.
The brand has a 90.5 percent Positive Recommend score among current customers, defined as consumers who’ve bought something from the brand within the past 12 months.
In the report, YouGov included statements from U.S. consumers surveyed who said they would recommend Zara.
Across the board, the commenters mentioned the retailer’s consistency, reliability, and the fact that it offers quality clothing at affordable prices.
One survey respondent, a man age 35-49, said of Zara: “They’ve consistently delivered on three things: reliable tailoring, fast trend turnarounds, and designs that look far more expensive than they are.
“Whenever I need a polished, modern piece for an event or work on short notice, I know I can walk in and find something that fits the bill.”
Another respondent, a woman age 50+, remarked on the longevity of the items she’s bought at Zara.
“Zara’s fashions outlast a season and depending on how often you wear a piece, can last for years, literally!” she wrote. “I have a pair of snake-print loafers from Zara that I have had for years!!!!”
The lemon-scented E.T. bath bomb from Lush, released in 2025. The cosmetics company, which bills itself as the inventor of the bath bomb, ranks high on YouGov’s 2026 list of brands consumers recommend to other consumers. (Photo courtesy of Lush)
Sitting at No. 2 is cosmetics company Lush with a score of 90.3 percent, followed by Rihanna’s lingerie company Savage X Fenty at 90.1 percent.
Tied at No. 5 with a score of 89.5 percent are PUBG: Battlegrounds (a video game) and running shoe brand Hoka.
Rolex sits at No. 6 with a Positive Recommend score of 89.4 percent.
Rounding out the top 10 are: Bloomberg (89.4 percent); Toyota (89.2 percent); Super Mario Bros. (89.1 percent), and Call of Duty (89.1 percent).
“Strong brands are not built on visibility alone,” said Ryan Gross, YouGov’s senior vice president of data products and client services. “They earn trust by consistently delivering products, services, and experiences that customers are willing to endorse.
“The findings demonstrate that advocacy can be created in many different categories. Fashion, beauty, gaming, financial information, automotive, and luxury brands all appear among this year’s national leaders.”
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YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report also ranked the most improved brands—those that had the biggest increase in their Positive Recommend score between 2025 and 2026—and broke down the most recommended brands by sector.
The No. 1 most improved brand in 2026, according to YouGov, is Vrbo, the vacation rental company that competes with Airbnb. The company’s score improved from 69 percent to 78 percent, a 9 percent year-over-year increase.
The second most improved brand is WE tv, a cable TV network owned by AMC Global Media. Its score rose from 58 percent to 66 percent.
According to YouGov, the third most improved brand is Live Nation (44 percent to 52 percent), which found itself in public and legal hot water after the 2022 Eras Tour ticket debacle, followed by Bombas at No. 4 (80 percent to 87 percent) and Bloomberg.com at No. 5 (58 percent to 65 percent).
When looking at brands by sector, YouGov examined seven categories: automotive, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, beauty and personal care, CPG food (meaning pre-packaged food items), dining, and financial services.
The No. 1 most recommended brand in each category is as follows.
Automotive: Toyota Alcoholic beverages: Samuel Adams Non-alcoholic beverages: Liquid I.V. Beauty and personal care: Lush CPG food: Kerrygold Dining: In-N-Out Burger Financial services: Bloomberg
