Do you think Firestone’s quest to improve its reputation should face the same problems as those occurring from the Exxon Valdez? Why or why not?

The second annual corporate-reputation survey conducted by the Harris market-research firm and the Reputation Institute, involving 26,011 respondents, found that Emotional Appeal—trust, admiration and respect, and generally good feelings toward—was the driving force in how people rated companies. The survey found that advertising did not necessarily change opinions. For example, despite a $100 million advertising campaign about what a good citizen Philip Morris Company was in feeding the hungry and helping victims of domestic violence, the company still received low marks on trust, respect, and admiration. But the most recent poll showed that Philip Morris no longer had the worst reputation in America. This distinction went to Bridgestone/Firestone, with Ford receiving the lowest reputation rating among auto companies.
Once lost, a company’s reputation or public image is usually difficult to regain. For example, Exxon Mobil’s reputation for environmental responsibility was still given low grades more than a decade after the destructive Alaskan oil spill involving the tanker Exxon Valdez.