Trust and the facts: What does this mean for brands?

The rise of distrust

This year’s Edelman Trust Barometer report, clearly indicates the rise of distrust on both Government and across all Media.

There’s no surprise there. Our world is swamped with fake news as Governments continue to fail to build trust through integrity.

The report can be downloaded from here.

Climate change and beliefs

First, was the fact that more people are worried about Job Loss (85%) than Climate Change (75%).

Climate Change is already having a profound effect on the way we live. It is also likely to have a huge impact on the type of careers available in future. Consequently, if only 75% of those asked said they were worried about climate change, does that mean that 25% were not worried about it at all?

The other set of questions focused around beliefs and values. When asked who would buy or advocate for brands based on their beliefs and values, 58% said this was the case. This rises a couple of points to 60% for those who choose a place to work based on their beliefs and values.

It's about purpose and values

This is a global trend that is gathering momentum.

Already aligning beliefs and values with a brand or workplace, is important for more recent generations. However, this seems to be rising elsewhere, amongst older generations as well.

This is important to note. It is solid evidence that backs up why it is essential for businesses to leverage clarity on their own purpose and values.