Brand Distrust and 4 Ways to Regain That Trust
Brand Distrust Is On The Rise
Trust isn’t a problem that is solely endemic to politics. It’s also a constant problem in branding.
The much-maligned Optus data breach. Meta’s noteworthy failures to restrict the spread of harmful rhetoric and misinformation/disinformation. These are pain points accelerating the rapid demise of brand trust amongst their clientele. Thus, it should come as no surprise to branding agencies that the “telco” and “social media” sectors attract the highest Net Distrust Scores (NDS) in Australia.
Sadly, the aforementioned examples cannot be attributed as the main culprits for their rising infamy. In 2019, Optus was legally obligated to refund $40 million for overcharging customers for internet speeds they failed to deliver on less-than-exemplary NBN infrastructure. Additionally, Meta had inadvertently facilitated the viral spread of the 2019 Christchurch Shooting footage filmed from the perpetrator’s perspective. Their fall from grace has been a long time coming.
The gradual erosure of their brand trust stemmed from inaction, dishonesty and miscommunication. Their widespread notoriety is, therefore, a consequence of their wanton disrespect and neglect of the consumers’ worries. Consequently, a loss in brand trust is the accelerated migration of consumers to more credible competitors who can better address their worries.
Earning Their Trust
Brisbane branding companies can all agree that it takes two hands to clap! Trust is what motivates consumers to follow/engage with brands as equals, facilitates transactions between two parties and builds meaningful relationships between brands and consumers. Respect the consumer and earn their trust and you’ll boost your brand’s long-term earnings.
As Forbes describes: “Brand trust is the new marketing currency” that differentiates compelling brands from unconvincing alternatives. Thankfully, young brands are not destined to repeat the exact mistakes. Today, our knowledgeable team at Vesanique would like to share our professional tips on how to accumulate brand trust amongst your target demographics.
1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
“Sustainability”, “eco-friendly” and “fair” are familiar buzzwords thrown around in the branding and marketing strategies of almost all modern corporations, portraying themselves as radical changemakers slavishly working to benefit society and the shared environment.
Thus far, many household name brands have fallen short of their self-congratulatory hype. In 2021, H & M was accused of failing to live up to 96% of its sustainable fashion claims. Moreover, in 2020, The Shell Corporation attracted the public’s ire for refusing to acknowledge its 1-2% contributions to global CO2 emissions, opting to pin the blame on individual consumers instead.
Gen Z consumers are no longer easily misled by surface-level promises, feel-good pretences and misguided cover-ups. Savvy consumers expect genuine change. Instead of promising what you can’t realistically deliver, disassemble your value chain into its constituent blocks, identifying segments where societal concerns can be effectively addressed in a cost-efficient manner.
Don’t just tell consumers what they want to hear. Act on them.
2. Honesty Is The Policy
No one enjoys being lied to. So do consumers.
Consumers despise hidden clauses, unclear information and unethical falsehoods. Regardless of intent, each misstep diminishes any support consumers have thrown behind your brand.
73% of consumers cite a strong willingness to pay a premium for goods/services from an honest and transparent company. Thus, truthful marketing ensures that crucial information is transmitted in a straightforward fashion free from ambiguity, mistruth and obstruction. What is important is easily gleaned from existing copy with little margin for misinterpretation.
Be upfront about your company’s conduct, operations and policies. Being transparent about how or where your products are manufactured, your outstanding commitments to the environment and your fair work highlight the authenticity of your brand’s proclamations.
3. Acknowledge Customer Complaints
Complaint avoidance automatically disqualifies any chances to redeem your brand’s trustworthiness. Instead of shrugging off your customer’s scathing critiques, tackle them head-on!
83% of customers reported heightened loyalty towards brands that resolve complaints favourably. As shown, customer complaints are opportune moments to demonstrate your deep respect for the end consumer, pinpointing the root troubles that led to their dissatisfactory experiences.
Exhibit a willingness to right any wrongs and injustices that befall your clients. Likewise, take ownership of any lapses in product/service delivery and compensate for losses borne by the consumer. A proactive approach to managing customer complaints paints a picture of a responsible brand unafraid to own up to its shortcomings.
Triumphantly overcoming a customer complaint nullifies the threat to your brand’s legitimacy, regaining the nearly-lost trust of the weary complainant. Be sincere in all engagements with customer complaints, and you’ll soften the hearts of even the most hardened of consumers!
4. Passion Speaks Volumes
The majority of consumers identify with brands that share an aligned purpose and identity. Engaging branding and marketing are the vehicles to spotlight them to your target demographic.
But first, you must settle on your brand voice: the definitive prose that surmises that which makes your brand “remarkable” in comparison to the competition; the unique selling point (USP) exclusive to your business.
Accordingly, your brand voice represents the motivational core of your brand, serving a charitable purpose beyond profit. Real passion is aptly conveyed through the altruistic atmosphere that your brand voice fosters. Furthermore, it should provoke powerful, positive emotions in the hearts of your target audience. Craft a relatable identity that resonates with your main audience, and you will slowly earn their lifelong trust.
Place Your Trust In Us!
Consumer expectations are evolving and outpacing the capacity of brands to meet them. As a Brisbane full-service digital agency, we have an unfettered understanding of what a trustworthy brand entails!
Tastes are everchanging and new trends emerging. Naturally, Vesanique keeps our fingers on the pulse, concurrently monitoring regularities and irregularities in consumer behaviour.
Once we’ve analysed what and what doesn’t make your target demographic tick, we then ask the appropriate clarifying questions to properly comprehend your brand voice and the points of weakness across the omnichannel requiring targeted corrections.
Through our holistic procedures, our creative team will ensure a uniform portrayal of a brand founded on trust, integrity and care for both people and the planet! From roundtable discussions to full-on execution, our Brisbane team ensure a seamless end-to-end delivery of our bespoke branding strategies.
More importantly, we cherish the trust of our esteemed clients. Throughout your branding journey, our staff frequently engages with you at each subsequent stage, seeking qualitative feedback and valuable input for the betterment of the overall project. Only through active collaboration, can we work as equals, shoulder to shoulder, to sculpt a trustworthy image that captures the hearts and minds of the masses.
Entrust your brand with us, and we’ll lay the concrete foundations of a reliable brand, brick by brick! Let’s schedule a meeting of the minds over a delicious meal or two in Brisbane. Our full-service digital agency can discuss the steps forward towards a fruitful partnership! Trust us on this one.
Let’s talk, don’t be a stranger ?️.