Even though he hasn't been affiliated with the company that bears his name for 18 years, John McAfee's recent run-in with the law in Belize has hurt the brand, according to a study.
YouGov's BrandIndex, which is based on 5,000 daily online interviews with consumers, reports that as of early December, more consumers heard negative news of the brand vs. positive news. The brand's Buzz Score is now at its lowest point in five years. McAfee is also trailing security software rival Symantec's Buzz Score as the chart below shows:
John McAfee founded McAfee Associates in 1988 and left the company in 1994. His name resurfaced in November, when reports emerged that he was on the run from police in Belize after a neighbor of his turned up dead. McAfee, who was labeled a "person of interest" in the case, fled to neighboring Guatemala and was extradited to the U.S. this month.