These are the 15 western brands Chinese people love the most
15. Procter & Gamble: 71.7 — P&G owns hundreds of the best known consumer products, including Gillette razors, Ariel detergent, and Oral-B dental products. That widespread portfolio clearly helps the company's reputation in China.
14. Gucci: 71.7 — Gucci is a favourite brand of Kanye West and Chinese consumers also go wild for the luxury designer, which makes everything from sunglasses to expensive suede loafers.
13. General Motors: 72.4 — GM is the manufacturer of some of the most recognisable auto brands on earth, including Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Opel, as well as Chinese car makers Baojun and Jie Fang. While Chinese consumers prefer big European cars like BMWs and Mercedes, they're not opposed to an American muscle car.
12. Giorgio Armani Group: 72.5 — The Italian fashion group, named after owner and fashion legend Giorgio Armani, is a big favourite amongst Chinese consumers. It includes the more expensive Giorgio Armani brand, and the cheaper, but still pricey, Emporio Armani.
11. Nestle: 72.6 — Chinese consumers clearly love chocolate, sweets, and drinks, with huge approval ratings for the Swiss-based multinational. The company faced a huge scandal in 2008 when China-made milk products were found to contain the chemical melamine. More than 50,000 babies got sick as a result. However, the scandal has clearly largely been forgotten by the Chinese people.
Source: Financial Times
10. Microsoft: 73.1 — Apple may be king in the west when it comes to computers and smartphones, but Microsoft's reputation in China far exceeds that of Apple, according to the Reputation Institute. Apple didn't even manage to crack the top 30 western brands.
9. BMW: 73.1 — Big, smart European cars are big money in China and BMW is one of the most respected brands out there. It doesn't quite take the top spot in terms of car makers, that goes to another firm.
8. Amazon: 73.4 — Ecommerce is massive business in China, and companies like Alibaba —which listed in the USA in the biggest IPO in history during 2014 — has a massive market share, but its reputation can't match up to that of the west's biggest e-tailer, Amazon.
7. Dell: 73.5 — Dell, the world's third biggest computer maker, is looking to invest heavily in China in the next five years, putting aside $125 billion in late 2015. That could help it build an already stellar reputation in the country.
6. Michelin: 73.5 — A growing market for cars means a growing market for tyres in China, and the French firm has looked to capitalise on that. The company is facing a big challenge from low-cost tyre makers based in China, but has a great reputation amongst Chinese consumers.
5. Siemens: 73.7 — Siemens is fairly well-known for washing machines, ovens, and other household goods in the west and Chinese consumers have serious respect for the brand. The company just agreed to build a first overseas "innovation centre for intelligent marketing" in the coast city of Qingdao, such is its involvement in China.
4. Mercedes-Benz: 73.9 —Chinese consumers love Mercedes Benz cars more than any other brand, according to the Reputation Institute. Sales of Mercedes cars grew by 39% in the third quarter of 2015.
3. Rolls-Royce Aerospace: 74.0 — Rolls-Royce is in all sorts of trouble globally, issuing five profit warnings in less than two years, put that hasn't put off Chinese consumers, who rank it as one of their top three Western companies.
2. Rolex: 75.5 — Think Rolex, and you think luxury. That luxury is highly respected by Chinese consumers, who see Rolex as the second most reputable brand of any Western company.
1. Intel: 76.2 — The American chip maker officially has the best reputation of any Western company in China, according to the Reputation Institute. Intel's reputation is high, despite the company warning in January that Q1 financials will be lower than expected, partly thanks to lower sales of computers in China.
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