In today’s high-stakes, constantly evolving financial landscape, reputation is more than just brand image. It’s the key driver of trust, loyalty, and long-term performance. This edition of Reputation by CARMA: Brand Benchmarks takes a deep dive into how leading banks in the UK and USA are perceived by the public, media, and across social channels. Our unique reputation methodology combines news, social and audience research and analyses them along a series of six key reputational pillars – Products & Services, Culture, Sustainability, Conduct, Performance and Vision. These pillars are weighted according to what CARMA’s audience research shows consumers care about the most in both the UK and US, offering an incisive view into what shapes reputation in two of the world’s most closely watched banking sectors – and how that picture is evolving.
What’s driving reputation in finance?
In both markets, one trend is unmistakable: products and performance are the reputational pillars that matter most to audiences. Banks that clearly communicate the value they offer – whether through reliable customer service, innovative tools or strong financial results, consistently rose to the top of the rankings.
In the US, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America led in reputation by aligning closely with these priorities. Positive media coverage around profits, services, and strong leadership messaging translated into higher audience trust. In the UK, meanwhile, Revolut stood out as the leading bank, with a well-defined brand narrative that resonated strongly on both social and earned media, allowing its reputation to stand out compared even to legacy banks.
But challenges lie beneath the surface
While some banks successfully shaped their reputations, others struggled to manage perception, particularly around workplace culture, legal conduct, and sustainability efforts. In the UK, traditional banks saw lower scores in these areas. This was particularly true when controversies or policy shifts went unaddressed, highlighting the value of proactive communication in controlling narratives. In the US, cultural issues were at their most generational, with this pillar resonating far more with younger audiences. Conduct credibility was built when banks communicated transparently around governance and changes to internal regulations.
Perhaps most notably, in both the UK and US, social media noise doesn’t always translate into reputational impact, the reports found. Viral criticism appeared to have less influence on audience opinion than sustained news coverage and brand-owned narratives. This reinforces the importance of proactive storytelling, rather than focusing only on reactive firefighting.
The UK and US: different reputational priorities
While both markets show that performance and products matter most, US banks benefited more from media-driven narratives around leadership and structure. Audience perceptions here were more stable even in the face of controversy, as long as communication was consistent. In contrast, UK audiences placed greater emphasis on brand’s values. Challenger brands struggled to communicate a clear story on their ethics, while legacy banks faced greater scrutiny over legal conduct. Digital banks in both regions faced the same challenge: translating visibility into lasting awareness. Legacy institutions still carry an advantage in brand recognition, reminding us that reputation isn’t just built – it’s reinforced over time.
What’s next?
These reports are just the beginning. As the series develops, CARMA will continue to track how reputations shift across finance, FMCG, retail and tech. The goal? To equip reputation and communications professionals with the insights they need to shape the story – not just follow it.
Click here to access the Brand Benchmarks.
Commentary
Reputation by CARMA: Brand Benchmarks – Finance
In today’s high-stakes, constantly evolving financial landscape, reputation is more than just brand image. It’s the key driver of trust, loyalty, and long-term performance. This edition of Reputation by CARMA: Brand Benchmarks takes a deep dive into how leading banks in the UK and USA are perceived by the public, media, and across social channels. Our unique reputation methodology combines news, social and audience research and analyses them along a series of six key reputational pillars – Products & Services, Culture, Sustainability, Conduct, Performance and Vision. These pillars are weighted according to what CARMA’s audience research shows consumers care about the most in both the UK and US, offering an incisive view into what shapes reputation in two of the world’s most closely watched banking sectors – and how that picture is evolving.
What’s driving reputation in finance?
In both markets, one trend is unmistakable: products and performance are the reputational pillars that matter most to audiences. Banks that clearly communicate the value they offer – whether through reliable customer service, innovative tools or strong financial results, consistently rose to the top of the rankings.
In the US, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America led in reputation by aligning closely with these priorities. Positive media coverage around profits, services, and strong leadership messaging translated into higher audience trust. In the UK, meanwhile, Revolut stood out as the leading bank, with a well-defined brand narrative that resonated strongly on both social and earned media, allowing its reputation to stand out compared even to legacy banks.
But challenges lie beneath the surface
While some banks successfully shaped their reputations, others struggled to manage perception, particularly around workplace culture, legal conduct, and sustainability efforts. In the UK, traditional banks saw lower scores in these areas. This was particularly true when controversies or policy shifts went unaddressed, highlighting the value of proactive communication in controlling narratives. In the US, cultural issues were at their most generational, with this pillar resonating far more with younger audiences. Conduct credibility was built when banks communicated transparently around governance and changes to internal regulations.
Perhaps most notably, in both the UK and US, social media noise doesn’t always translate into reputational impact, the reports found. Viral criticism appeared to have less influence on audience opinion than sustained news coverage and brand-owned narratives. This reinforces the importance of proactive storytelling, rather than focusing only on reactive firefighting.
The UK and US: different reputational priorities
While both markets show that performance and products matter most, US banks benefited more from media-driven narratives around leadership and structure. Audience perceptions here were more stable even in the face of controversy, as long as communication was consistent. In contrast, UK audiences placed greater emphasis on brand’s values. Challenger brands struggled to communicate a clear story on their ethics, while legacy banks faced greater scrutiny over legal conduct. Digital banks in both regions faced the same challenge: translating visibility into lasting awareness. Legacy institutions still carry an advantage in brand recognition, reminding us that reputation isn’t just built – it’s reinforced over time.
What’s next?
These reports are just the beginning. As the series develops, CARMA will continue to track how reputations shift across finance, FMCG, retail and tech. The goal? To equip reputation and communications professionals with the insights they need to shape the story – not just follow it.
Click here to access the Brand Benchmarks.
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