Levi’s Is One of the Most Reputable Brands in the U.S.
Key Takeaways
- Morning Consult’s latest proprietary Reputation Score™ metric evaluates brands across five components: Trust, Employer Admiration, Community Impact, Favorability, and Value.
- On the list of most reputable brands measured by Morning Consult, Levi’s is one of the most favored brands in the U.S., driven by its strong and stable favorability across major demographic groups.
- Its steady stream of high-profile influencer and celebrity partnerships have paid dividends, particularly with Gen Zers, helping drive buzz for a product that feels distinctly American.
A company’s reputation is built first and foremost on its corporate character and credibility — the essential qualities that earn stakeholder trust and define its license to operate. Morning Consult’s new proprietary Reputation Score™ framework measures these qualities through three core metrics: Trust, Admired Employer, and Community Impact. Together, these metrics provide a comprehensive, actionable view of how a company is perceived in terms of its ethical standards, leadership, and social responsibility.
The other dimension is brand appeal. While corporate character and credibility establish the foundation of reputation, brand appeal transforms positive perceptions into meaningful engagement and advocacy, which we measure through two essential metrics: Favorability and Value. These metrics capture the emotional and rational drivers that motivate stakeholders to choose, recommend, and remain loyal to a brand.
That all said, it’s not surprising that the nearly 200-year-old Levi’s made Morning Consult’s most reputable brands list, as most discussions of iconic American brands include the blue-jean creator.
Levi’s reputation, as durable as denim
Levi’s position is propelled, in part, by its favorability figures, which have long been strong and stable among key demographics. Since January 2023, the share of U.S. adults with a favorable opinion of Levi’s has hovered near 75% — remarkably high for any brand, but especially for one in the apparel category, wherein favorability generally sits around 40%, according to Morning Consult Intelligence data.
Although its age may make some consider Levi’s “old-guard,” the brand has been hard at work courting younger consumers. Much of this effort has materialized via a steady stream of high-profile influencer and celebrity partnerships, most notably with Beyoncé, whose 2024 “Cowboy Carter” featured a song called “Levii’s Jeans.” And so far, the collaboration appears to be worth it: Between January 2023 and January 2025, the share of Gen Z adults who said they view Levi’s favorably grew from 56% to 67%. The share of those who have seen, read or heard about the brand is also up double-digits among both Gen Zers and all U.S. adults over the same period.
Levi’s Favorability Is High Across All Age Groups
And while Levi’s no longer exclusively makes its clothing in the United States, the brand is likely still benefiting from the halo effect of its identity as a distinctly American company — especially amid the second Trump administration, which, through global tariff wars, has placed a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing. The ongoing popularity of Western wear and a collective thirst for older, simpler times certainly isn’t hurting Levi’s standing, either.
All in, between a generally favorable external environment and smartly invested marketing dollars, the jean maker is well-positioned to stay in consumers’ good graces for the next 200 years.
Ellyn Briggs is a brands analyst on the Industry Intelligence team, where she conducts research, authors analyst notes and advises brand and marketing leaders on how to apply insights to make better business decisions. Prior to joining Morning Consult, Ellyn worked as a market researcher and brand strategist in both agency and in-house settings. She graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. For speaking opportunities and booking requests, please email [email protected].