In this piece, we will take a look at the 5 most hated brands in the world. For more information on this topic and a more comprehensive list, please take a look at the 20 Most Hated Brands in the World.
5. Twitter
Twitter, initially launched in 2006, is a free social networking site where users broadcast short posts known as tweets. Business tycoon Elon Musk took ownership of the site on October 27, 2022. The company is heavily criticized for providing a forum for violent rhetoric, hate speech, and misleading information. A recent decision by Musk to limit the amount of tweets users can see on the platform in one day has caused global outrage. It comes merely months after Musk made the verified badge on Twitter, previously for legacy users only, available for anyone willing to pay a small fee.
However, we don’t think Twitter deserves to be one of the “most hated brands” as it is still one of the world’s most popular social media platforms with nearly 400 million users. In addition, compared to platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram that may have more users, Twitter’s audience is more engaged and active. Therefore, companies view it as a useful medium to communicate with their audience.
4. Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOX)
Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOX), operated and controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, produces and broadcasts captivating news, sports, and entertainment content through its iconic brands including FOX News, FOX Sports, the FOX Network, and the FOX Television Stations. Its ownership of Fox News accounts for the majority of American disapproval towards it.
The company is criticized for its biased reporting and for exclusively offering viewpoints that support the Republican party. However, given that many media organizations lean to the left of the political spectrum, we think this is an excellent business approach.
3. Spirit Airlines, Inc. (NYSE:SAVE)
Spirit Airlines, Inc. (NYSE:SAVE), formerly known as Clippert Trucking Company, is a major United States ultra-low cost airline headquartered in Miramar, Florida. The company’s no-frills, low-cost travel policy seems appealing. However, according to a Department of Transportation (DoT) report, the airline received the most complaints, totaling 637, from US passengers last year. The bulk of complaints against the carrier, according to the report, involved problems with flights, such as cancellations, delays, and missed connections.
Moreover, Spirit Airlines, Inc. (NYSE:SAVE) has the lowest customer satisfaction score among airlines, with 64 points on a zero to 100 scale, according to the 2023 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).
2. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), one of the most hated brands on our list, owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other products and services. People dislike the company for not taking adequate steps to protect user privacy or stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation on its platforms.
Moreover, it has been the subject of numerous lawsuits. The European Data Protection Board recently fined the company $1.3 billion for breaching European Union data privacy laws by transferring personal data of Facebook users to servers in the U.S.
Last year, the company agreed to pay $725 million to resolve a lawsuit accusing it of illegally sharing user data with third parties, including Cambridge Analytica.
1. The Trump Organization
The Trump Organization, founded in 1927, is a group of about 500 business entities involved in a wide range of businesses, including hotels, residential properties, golf clubs, universities, restaurants, and casino resorts.
The organization, which was run by former President Donald Trump for decades, was named by Americans as the company with the worst public perception in the country in the 2022 and 2023 Axios Harris Poll 100. Trump was recently charged by a New York grand jury with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records ahead of 2016 presidential elections.
Moreover, in January 2023, the organization was ordered to pay $1.6 million in fines after two of its entities were found guilty of running a decade-long tax fraud scheme. Trump is a polarizing figure across the US and is often accused, by users on social media platforms, of bullying his opponents into submission.
Disclosure: None. You can also take a look at 12 High Margin Products to Sell Online and 10 Least Competitive Industries in the World.
