Consumer trust in advertising peaked in the 1980s when over 80% of people said they felt ‘favourable’ towards advertising. Today closer to 1/3 of people polled say they are positive towards advertising.
Is trust in advertising bust? Or can it still be won? The short answer is yes, but it depends very much on who you are, and what you want to be trusted for.
Trusted sources
Our research has shown how reputation and trust in advertising depends on the source of the message. Consumers deem some products and sectors to be less trustworthy than others. Their decisions are based on multiple factors, including the sector and the track record of the company.
High-scoring sectors include consumer technology, particularly among younger audiences. Food and confectionery brands are generally more trusted, as are supermarkets and charities. But that doesn’t mean a free pass.
Trust must be maintained by corporate behaviour and communications that are in line with the company’s stated values.
Sectors that need to work harder to gain trust include insurance, energy, banks and fast food. Trust can be earned via familiarity and reliability - keep showing up, behave consistently, and make sure that what you say in public communications is reflected in how you treat customers online, on the phone and in person.
Trusted channels
Consumers trust some channels more than others, though this can depend very much on how those channels are being used.
Broad, public channels tend to be most trusted, but any channel can lose credibility if the consumer starts to feel bombarded or ‘stalked’ by intrusive and unwanted messaging.
What works well
Being consistently honest. That means saying what you mean, and doing what you say, in every form of contact with your customers. Launching a campaign based on empathy won’t win trust if customers’ experience of your brand is fundamentally different.
It’s good to tell stories. People happily embrace hyperbole and humour in advertising as part of entertainment and storytelling, but misrepresentation is a fast-track to losing trust.
Be a good guest. Advertising is best liked when it is engaging, and when it doesn’t outstay its welcome. When it is polite, not insistent. And when it offers at least as much as it demands.
Connect with us for more information and to learn which ads and brands are best placed to win consumers’ trust.
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