Just 35% of measured U.S. brands are bipartisan, YouGov report finds

Just over a third (35%) of 2,238 U.S. brands measured have bipartisan appeal, with Subway, Verizon Wireless and Bengay showing the closest balance in consideration among Democrats and Republicans, according to a new YouGov report.

YouGov’s U.S. bipartisan brand rankings 2026 examines which brands Americans would consider buying, using or supporting across party lines. The report, powered by YouGov BrandIndex and YouGov Profiles, finds that 65% of measured brands have a partisan skew, based on differences in consideration between the two groups.

Key findings:

• Subway ranks as America’s most bipartisan brand. It is considered by 29% of both Democrats and Republicans, followed in the ranking by Verizon Wireless and Bengay. Spotify, Pedialyte, Hot Pockets, LG, Icy Hot, Jockey and GE complete the top 10.
• American Eagle shows a Republican skew. The brand is considered by 22% of Republicans and 16% of Democrats, giving it the second-largest Republican advantage among fashion brands. The findings follow the brand’s controversial July 2025 campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. American Eagle topped the 2024 bipartisan ranking.
• The Cheesecake Factory attracts similar interest across party lines, but leans Democratic. The chain is considered by 21% of Democrats and 19% of Republicans. The findings predate its recent political spotlight, when Barack Obama’s joke comparing Trump’s White House renovations to a Cheesecake Factory, and Trump’s defense of the chain, generated headlines.
• Fox News Channel and Planned Parenthood show the largest gaps in opposite directions. Fox News Channel has a 37-percentage-point Republican advantage in viewing consideration, while Planned Parenthood has a 27-point Democratic advantage in consideration of support.
• Food and restaurant brands also divide along party lines. Ben & Jerry’s has a 22-point Democratic advantage in purchase consideration. Chick-fil-A has a 14-point Republican advantage, while Jimmy Dean has a 13-point Republican advantage.
• Online brands attract different partisan audiences. Reddit has a 14-point Democratic advantage in consideration, followed by Bluesky at 12 points. X has a 13-point Republican advantage.
• Democrats are more receptive to brands addressing social issues. More than half (57%) say they like brands willing to get involved in social issues, compared with 17% of Republicans. Meanwhile, 77% of Republicans say brands expressing views on political or social issues are just trying to exploit them, compared with 39% of Democrats.

The brands with the largest partisan gaps in consideration across selected categories include:

• Automotive: Subaru (+10-percentage-points toward Democrats)
• Medical Products: Tylenol (+9pp toward Democrats)
• Fashion: Wrangler (+9pp toward Republicans)
• Fast food & QSR: Chick-fil-A (+14pp toward Republicans)
• Food: Ben & Jerry’s (+22pp toward Democrats)
• Grocery: Trader Joe's (10pp+ toward Democrats). Walmart (10pp+ toward Republicans)
• Online brands: Reddit (+14pp toward Democrats)
• Soft drinks & beverages: Black Rifle Coffee Company (+9pp toward Republicans)
• Video game franchises: Super Mario Bros. (+8pp toward Democrats)

“The divide extends beyond which brands people consider to what they want brands to say,” said Kenton Barello, Senior Vice President, YouGov. “Democrats are much more receptive to brands getting involved in social issues, while Republicans are more skeptical of their motives. For marketers, understanding those differences is an important part of deciding how to communicate with their audiences.”

Read the full U.S. bipartisan brand rankings 2026 report here.

Methodology

The rankings use YouGov BrandIndex and YouGov Profiles data from October 11, 2025 to October 10, 2026, comparing brand consideration among self-identified Democrats and Republicans. Brands qualify as bipartisan when the relative difference in consideration between the two groups is less than 10%. Percentage-point gaps are calculated from unrounded scores. Social-issue attitudes come from YouGov Profiles, October 2026. The 2024 rankings used political ideology rather than party affiliation and are not directly comparable. Full methodology is available in the report.