• Business Week, Friday, September 18, 2009 10:44 AM

Companies as diverse as McDonald's, Ford and American Express are revamping their marketing to win back consumer trust -- "that most valuable of corporate assets," David Kiley and Burt Helm report in the cover story for Business Week's Sept. 28 print issue. In a phone survey conducted this summer by Edelman, only 44% of Americans said they trusted business, down from 58% in the fall of 2007.

"Trust is what drives profit margin and share price," says Larry Light, CEO of the brand consultancy Arcature. "It is what consumers are looking for and what they share with one another."

It's all part of the magazine's annual "100 Best Global Brands" report. Coca-Cola once again takes the top spot, followed by IBM (2) and Microsoft (3). Burberry (98) Polo Ralph Lauren (99) and Campbell's (100) complete the list. A slide show encapsulates each company's strategy in weathering the recession.

Read the whole story at Business Week »