EditorsJun 24, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 2Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.
MajorsJan 29, 2018
Which Brands Generated the Most Buzz in 2017?
We’ll bet you can guess the e-commerce giant that came in first.
Amazon is ranked No. 1 in positive buzz among consumers last year, according to YouGov’s 2017 Buzz Rankings.
New York--YouGov has released its list of brands that generated the most positive buzz among consumers last year in the United States.
The company’s 2017 Buzz Rankings position 1,600 brands according to “buzz score,” which is determined by asking consumers if they’ve heard anything about a specific brand in the last two weeks through advertising, news or word of mouth, and, if so, was it positive or negative?
Scores are calculated by subtracting the percentage of negative responses from the percentage of positive responses for each brand.
Generating the most positive buzz among Americans and earning the top spot for the fifth consecutive year is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Amazon.
Last year was a big one for the e-commerce giant. In June, it acquired high-end grocer Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, giving it a physical presence in many markets.
A few months after that, Amazon announced plans to open a second headquarters, inviting cities and regions to place bids to be the host of the $5 billion investment. They have now narrowed the list down to 20 possibilities.
And on top of everything else, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos also became the richest person in the world in 2017, ending the year with a total worth of about $100 billion.
CNBC reported last spring that some analysts believe the company could account for half of all e-commerce sales by 2021.
Following Amazon at No. 2 on YouGov’s Buzz Rankings is Netflix, which continues to pick up buzz as it generates more of its own content. In fact, Netflix earned a total of 91 Emmy nominations in 2017.
Amazon continued its dominance by also earning the No. 3 spot with Amazon Prime, its paid subscription service that gives users access to free two-day delivery, streaming video/music and other benefits.
It’s estimated that half of all households now have a subscription to Prime, not to mention that Amazon said its 2017 Prime Day, a one-day only sales event just for subscribers, was its biggest sales day yet and pulled in more new members than ever before.
At No. 4 is YouTube, which claims through its own statistics that nearly one-third of all people on the internet use the video sharing site to watch a billion hours of video every day.
At No. 5 is Google, followed by Nike at No. 6, dish soap Dawn at No. 7--boosted
perhaps by its association with rescuing and restoring wildlife affected by oil pollution, YouGov said--and M&Ms.
The top 10 list is rounded out by Apple’s iPhone at No. 9, which rejoined after a year off due in part to the release of the iPhone X.
Fittingly then, No. 10 on the list is Apple, which celebrated not only the release of the aforementioned phone but also the launch of its Siri-powered HomePod to rival Amazon’s Alexa-powered Echo and the acquisition of sound-identifying app Shazam in 2017.
YouGov also ranked the best Buzz Improvers--brands with the highest increase in Buzz scores between 2016 and 2017.
It included brands such as Chipotle, which had to deal with multiple E.coli and norovirus outbreaks in 2016; cable channel HLN, which benefited from a revamp last year; and Volkswagen, which had been suffering from negative perception in the last few years after it got caught cheating on diesel-emissions tests.
Also on the list are telecommunications company Spectrum (previously Time Warner Cable), Walmart, Hulu and ride sharing app Lyft.
The top 10 list is rounded out by Apple’s iPhone at No. 9, which rejoined after a year off due in part to the release of the iPhone X.
Fittingly then, No. 10 on the list is Apple, which celebrated not only the release of the aforementioned phone but also the launch of its Siri-powered HomePod to rival Amazon’s Alexa-powered Echo and the acquisition of sound-identifying app Shazam in 2017.
YouGov also ranked the best Buzz Improvers--brands with the highest increase in Buzz scores between 2016 and 2017.
It included brands such as Chipotle, which had to deal with multiple E.coli and norovirus outbreaks in 2016; cable channel HLN, which benefited from a revamp last year; and Volkswagen, which had been suffering from negative perception in the last few years after it got caught cheating on diesel-emissions tests.
Also on the list are telecommunications company Spectrum (previously Time Warner Cable), Walmart, Hulu and ride sharing app Lyft.
More on Majors
The Latest
IndependentsJun 24, 2025
Colorado Bench Jeweler Celebrates 50 Years With Local RetailerLori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.
WatchesJun 24, 2025
Citizen’s New ‘Fantastic Four’ Watch Is Literally Super The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
GradingJun 23, 2025
GIA Names New President and CEO Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.
Weekly QuizJun 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Recorded WebinarsJun 23, 2025
Watch: Top Trends at Couture, JCK Las Vegas 2025National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.
SourcingJun 23, 2025
Diamond Producers, Organizations to Kick in Money to Promote Natural DiamondsSignatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Celebrate 6 Jewelry DesignersThe winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Dua Lipa Stays On-Trend With Chunky Engagement RingThe singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Piece of the Week: Yvonne Léon’s ‘Python Gold’ BraceletThe bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough RubyThe gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee GroupFounder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
IndependentsJun 16, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Commitment Campaign Celebrating LGBTQ+ CouplesThe “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
