The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust?
(Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3)
11 Feb 20
2:30 PM
-
3:15 PM
Trust has always played an important role in brand purchase. Since the inception of brand as a means of differentiating products, there has been a promise made to consumers on quality, performance, ingredients and availability. The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that despite a strong global economy and near full employment, none of the four societal institutions that the study measures—government, business, NGOs and media—is trusted. The cause of this paradox can be found in people’s fears about the future and their role in it, which are a wake-up call for our institutions to embrace a new way of effectively building trust: balancing competence with ethical behavior.
Edelman’s research also shows that this faltering trust paradigm has direct impacts on the food system. Consumers increasingly expect more from the foods they put in their mouths and from the companies that produce them. Brands must focus on healthy and nutritious food, while also being purpose-driven, sustainably-minded and tech-enabled. The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust? asks a key question: Do consumers today trust brands to do what is right—with their products, their customers, and with their societal impact?