The ongoing conflict in Iran is beginning to take a measurable toll on how the world views the United States and its products. According to the latest data from Morning Consult’s Global Outlook released on March 19, 2026, global consumer confidence has dropped 1.2 points this week, while favorability toward the U.S. has dipped another 0.3 points.
While that decline might seem small at a glance, analysts warn that the numbers hide a harsher reality for American companies.
When Russia is removed from the equation—where sentiment toward the U.S. is actually improving as Moscow finds advantages in the current instability—the drop in American reputation is much steeper. Since the sparring in Iran began, the “Brand USA” metric has plummeted by a total of 6 points worldwide.
“U.S. multinationals should be cautious about interpreting this week’s relatively muted decline in ‘Brand USA’ as good news,” noted Jason I. McMann, PhD, Head of Global Intelligence at Morning Consult. He pointed out that excluding the outlier of Russia, the metric fell roughly 1 point just in the last seven days.
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The shifting sentiment is creating a “boycott risk” for American brands. Data shows a clear link: as dislike for the U.S. grows, so does the number of people who say they are intentionally spending less on American goods.
This trend is particularly hot in Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Egypt. In these regions, the desire to boycott is even higher than what general political views would suggest.
The impact varies wildly by border. In North America, the U.S. saw its own consumer sentiment fall by 2.1 points. Mexico and Canada are currently flagged as “acute” risk areas for American brands.
Meanwhile, in Asia, South Korea and Japan are seeing significant retreats in sentiment, with South Korea’s reputation score for the U.S. falling by 8.2 points this week alone.
Despite the widespread slide, there are a few exceptions. Israel and Morocco remain bright spots where boycott risks are low, and the United Kingdom actually saw a 5.8-point jump in U.S. favorability. However, with no clear end to the Iran conflict in sight, the overarching trend for the “Always-On Consumer” remains negative.
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