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    Featured Edelman Counter-Disinformation Analysis: From Social Noise To Enterprise Risk India—The Next Step Forward I have spent the last week in Mumbai, Delhi, and Agra, meeting with business leaders, government officials, journalists, and academics while soaking in the culture. KEEP READING In an Insular World, Trust Is Earned — and Expanded — Through Creators The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a shift toward insular trust. Discover how creators help brands build credibility within trusted communities. KEEP READING Explore All Insights
    Research

    Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 Virtual Global Launch

    On 25 June, Edelman launched the Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020.

    The report revealed that brands face a fundamental reordering of priorities amid a global pandemic and societal outcry over systemic racism prompted by the murder of George Floyd. In this environment, consumers are looking to brands to act and advocate for change. 

    Edelman spoke to a panel of distinguished leaders to examine the necessity of trust in unlocking buying power and advocacy for change, as well as the role that brands must play, and solve for, in consumers’ lives today. Our virtual panel included:

    • Esther Perel, Psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author
    • Matthew McCarthy, CEO, Ben & Jerry's
    • Sarah Greenidge, Founder, WellSpoken
    • Judy John, Global Chief Creative Officer, Edelman

    The panel was moderated by Megan Van Someren, Global Chair of Brand. 

    Richard Edelman, CEO, and Lee Maicon, Global Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, gave an introduction to the data.

     

    Data Presentation

    Panel Discussion

    Highlights

    Related Content

    Research

    Super Solver Brands

    Jackie Cooper /

    Covid-19 has shaken our society, economy and entire way of life. It has distinctly illustrated what matters, our basic needs becoming increasingly important as ongoing restrictions impact our ability to live the life we knew a few months ago. 

    Our Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 shows just how critical it is for brands to play a vital part during this pandemic. To be able to trust a brand, 85 percent of respondents want that brand to solve their personal problems; similarly, 80 percent of people feel it is important for a brand to help solve society’s problems. This is demonstrated in purchasing patterns too, with 44 percent recently using a new brand because of the innovative or compassionate way they have responded to the outbreak, a seven-point increase since April. Brands are judged and bought depending on how supportive they have been. People don’t want a brand to sell to them; they want a brand to offer a solution to help make sense of our current normal.  

    In these times of acute stress, where supply chains are challenged and our movement restricted, our focus has returned to fundamentals—our loyalty and respect given to brands who support us. Seventy percent of people say trusting a brand is more important today than in the past. Indeed, a substantial 64 percent say that how well a brand responds to the pandemic will have a huge impact on their likelihood to buy the brand in the future. This is particularly salient for those aged 18 to 34, where 77 percent of respondents value trust more highly than they ever have.  

    So, solving big and small problems for the individual and society is what matters most for brands today. We love the brands which help us live our best lives in our current ‘normal.’ And some brands have absolutely stepped up—The Super Solver Brands. Their goods and services are accessible—not only do they turn up on our doorstep, but they also have stock or collateral and content that can satisfy our home-orientated demand. They are affordable, their value is their contribution to solvability in life, rather than monetary definition alone, delivering (literally) with integrity. And they help us become self–sufficient because we have shifted from a society that relies on outside services to a society where we serve ourselves. The purpose of brands moves from ‘nice to have’ to a ‘need to have.’ We found in our 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Spring Update: Trust and the Covid-19 Pandemic that 89 percent of people want brands to shift money and resources to producing products that help people meet pandemic-related challenges. 

    As online traffic mounts, the frustration to secure a regular supermarket delivery slot is overcome by the new Sainsbury’s Chop Chop app and Waitrose Rapid, offering delivery within hours: our new Super Solvers. 

    On a bigger scale, Jamie Oliver is the epitome of a Super Solver Brand. His brilliant “Keep Cooking and Carry On,” a 20-episode TV show produced in only a few weeks, uses his brand power and influence to give people tangible solutions to put food on the table and support local food providers. He gave everyone permission to throw out the rule book and cope. I asked him what inspired him to create the program so early in lockdown. “As I felt the Covid-19 cloud of uncertainty looming fast,” he told me, “I could see so much control being taken away from the public. I wanted to arm them with helpful tips, swap-outs and information to offer them some control.” 

    It didn’t take long to see the impact. “The feedback from the public was immediate and very powerful,” Oliver told me. There was “gratitude to having a familiar face busking mealtimes like they had to, with random ingredients, using food to lift everyone’s spirits. Now, more than ever, I know the power of food.” 

    Joe Wicks had families all over the world exercising at home together with almost 70 million views during lockdown, giving structure to their day and lifestyle support in such a magnanimous way.  

    Super Solver Brands can be large or small—their impact is what raises their status. The London-based community hall singing teacher who now performs on Instagram Live daily at 10:00 am has increased her audience from 30 families to over 10,000 and growing. The Kent-based Copper Rivet Distillery have made 13,000 liters of alcohol-based hand sanitizer for emergency services. In the UK, Smiths Group Plc has ramped up the manufacture of its own medical ventilators, which are in short supply, and has made the intellectual property to produce them available to other companies; the government has asked engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc and McLaren Automotive to help build them. Alibaba delivered 100 million food packages a day to distribution points in China, while the World Central Kitchen did the same in the U.S., providing 250,000 fresh meals daily for The Next-Door websites connecting communities and neighbors who have previously never leaned on each other. 

    Our day-to-day life is smaller, while the world is facing the realities of bigger problems. Where brands bring solutions and are accessible, valuable and drive self-sufficiency, we will trust them, buy them and be loyal to them. Super Solver status is what all brands should be striving for.  

    Jackie Cooper is senior advisor, Edelman, and non executive director, Jamie Oliver Group

    Research

    Purpose Is Not Enough: Brand Action Through Advocacy

    Lee Maicon /

    The uncertainty of the last few months has reset the table. People around the world are re-assessing much about their lives in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the societal outcry around systemic racism following the senseless murder of George Floyd. 

    People’s relationships with brands are shifting, and expectations and values are changing as well. To keep pace with or, even better, to accelerate through the current environment, brands need a North Star for change, a blueprint for action.  

    “Purpose” is no longer enough. Brands must take action through advocacy. 

     

    Trust Through Advocacy  

    Trust today is the make or break difference in people’s relationships with brands. In the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020, 70 percent of respondents say trusting a brand is more important today than in the past 

    Merely communicating rational and emotional product benefits is now insufficient to build resilient and trusted brands. Today, people put a brand’s solving their personal problems (85 percent) and society’s problems (80 percent) ahead of enriching their lives (73 percent).  

    Action through advocacy is key. As people around the world vote with their pocket (and their wallet), purpose needs to be about more than a beautiful ad with a resonant call to action. Advocacy begins with brand purpose, but the driver of brand equity now and in the future is our willingness to drive change. Brands that do will be rewarded with greater trust. Consider that brands that take action against racial injustice are four times more likely to gain trust than lose it, according to our 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Racial Justice in America. Globally, in the wake of the pandemic, 81 percent of people expect brands to ‘do the right thing.’ 

    Advocacy starts within a brand’s own walls. Globally, 78 percent of respondents expect brands to ensure their employees are protected against coronavirus; 90 percent want brands to protect the well-being and financial security of employees and suppliers; and nearly two-thirds of U.S. respondents expect brands to get their own house in order on racial justice in their diversity and inclusion standards, marketing communications and product pipelines.  

     
     

    Acting With People 

    Brands must go beyond understanding people to acting with people. By leveraging their investments in people-based data and analytics, brands can inform themselves about the causes their customers care about and act and respond swiftly in a complex and changing environment.   

    Ajinomoto*, the largest producer of flavor-enhancer MSG, understood from a review of customer data its growth was blocked by decades-old, bogus theories about so-called Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.  

    Earlier this year, Ajinomoto successfully acted to demonstrate to the public that Chinese Restaurant Syndrome was no more than a myth—and even got it removed from the dictionary. Ajinomoto doubled down on advocacy in the wake of Covid-19, as Asian restaurants were shutting down at twice the rate of others. The advocacy platform #TakeOutHate refuted the lies and worked to drum up business on behalf of Ajinomoto’s most important customers. Click here to find out more and watch the campaign video.

     

    Knocking Down Barriers

    While brands have always worked on functional or emotional barriers, the opportunity today is to work to remove systemic barriers to people’s lives, health, safety and well-being. Brands must find new ways to actively advocate for the removal of cultural, systemic or institutional barriers. They are sure to hear from a new breed of activist consumer, who holds businesses to account and can use their voices to promote—or damage—a brand’s reputation. Seventy-seven percent of respondents say they have stopped buying from a company because it stayed silent on a social or political issue.  

    Dove* has not stayed silent. In trying to understand the problems of Black women who used its hair-care product line made for them, the brand realized the problem was much bigger than making sure consumers understood the product. The bigger problem was rooted in racist remarks and behavior around hair that is a daily experience for millions of black women.   

    Rather than just ‘shut up and make shampoo’ or putting out a statement of support, Dove used its leadership to act. It formed the CROWN coalition to advocate for changes in laws that enabled hair discrimination. Only then did Dove double down by helping to fund and promote an animated film, ‘Hair Love,” that helped to reinforce its actions. The film by Matthew Cherry, won an Oscar and the CROWN Coalition has gotten the law changed in seven states, making a direct impact on millions of lives.  

    Brands need to live their purpose. The inspirational film or brand activation has its place, but we need to go farther through action. People are holding all institutions to a higher standard and brands are no different. Now is the time. We must advocate through action for our audiences. We must help to overcome systemic barriers. For the weeks and the decades to come, the bar is higher. We must act. 

    Lee Maicon is global chief and innovation officer at Edelman.   

    Research

    Trust and Brands: The Make or Break Moment

    Richard Edelman /

    Brands grew out of a trust-based relationship, the promise of quality and dependability. You believed a brand would deliver on its promise and was worth the premium. You recognized that the product or service made you look or feel better. You had an image of the brand set through advertising and it prompted you to purchase. Over time, the trust element became subliminal, while the rational and emotional aspects of purchase behavior moved to the forefront. 

    The seismic shocks of the past six months have put trust back in the center of brand marketing strategy. The global Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed nearly half a million lives, and mass demonstrations against systemic racism prompted by the senseless murder of George Floyd, have given new urgency to the central role of brands in society. Brands are thrust into the unaccustomed role of arbiter of social justice and symbol of political movements.  

    The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020, conducted May 27-June 5 in 11 countries, found that trust is the second most important factor in the decision to buy a new brand (53 percent) or become a loyal customer (49 percent), trailing only price and affordability at 64 percent. This stands in stark contrast to last year, when trust was the fifth factor, behind product performance, customer service, retail presence, and ingredients. Trust has emerged as a powerhouse for consumers because it addresses their fears, most notably personal vulnerability around health, financial stability, and privacy. 

    There are new demands on brands to solve, not just sell. Brand Democracy has been the new normal, with nearly two-thirds of consumers looking for brands to be a force for societal change and voting with their wallets. There is a demand for tangible actions, not just communications, with brands expected to partner with government to find a safe way to return to normal business or to shift the product mix to help people meet the new challenges of life. Forty six percent of people now trust most of the brands they use, up 12 points in the past year, and rising more than 20 points in the U.S., Brazil, and Germany.  

    Brands are now seen as more powerful than their corporate parents. Brand and reputation overlap, with 42 percent of respondents saying they will not work for a company unless its brands stand up against racism. 60 percent of consumers in the U.S. say they would buy or boycott based on whether the brand speaks out on racial injustice. Nearly half of global respondents (44 percent) said that they have begun to use a new brand because of the innovative or compassionate way they have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. Trust is also tied to other societal issues, with 44 percent saying they care about brand impact on the environment. 

    There is a change in consumer values inherent in the move to trust, with consumers choosing brands to be a reliable partner instead of lifestyle enabler. Asked what roles brands should play, respondents gave the highest scores to brands as dependable provider (69 percent), reliable source of information (64 percent), and being a protector or innovator (63 percent). By two to one, it is less important to associate the brand with excitement and adventure or to make me feel I am successful.  

    The battle for trust is actually the battle for truth and it is being won or lost through earned media and personal experience. Advertising is avoided by nearly 70 percent of respondents, and has only half the impact of earned media, as people prefer to hear directly from technical experts or people like themselves. 

    If brands deliver on the promise of advocacy and action, then they’ll be rewarded with deeper, more resilient relationships with the consumer. Respondents told us that they are nearly five times more likely to advocate for a high trust brand and are three times as likely to share their personal information with that brand. Most important of all, trust unlocks loyalty, with eight times as many high-trust respondents saying they will only buy a particular brand.

    We will look back at the spring of 2020 as a pivot point in our history, a time in which personal and societal issues converged. Brands are expected to step into the void because government is failing to deliver on racial justice, personal safety, health, and education. There is a new risk-reward equation for brands beyond communications; you have to advocate and act in order to remain relevant to your consumer. Brands that take a stand on racial justice are four times as likely to gain trust as brands that stand to the side. The time is now for brands to lead, to inspire hope, and deliver change. 

    Richard Edelman is CEO. 

    Research

    Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020

    The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 (NEW 2021 version here) reveals that brands face a fundamental reordering of priorities amid a global pandemic and societal outcry over systemic racism prompted by the murder of George Floyd. In this environment, consumers are looking to brands to act and advocate for change. 

    • 53 percent of respondents say ‘whether you trust the company that owns the brand or brand that makes the product’ is the second most important factor when purchasing a new brand. Trust is second only to price (64 percent) 

    • 70 percent say trusting a brand is more important today than in the past – a shared belief among age groups, gender and income  

    • 81 percent say personal vulnerability (around health, financial stability, and privacy) is a reason why brand trust has become more important 

    • 74 percent say a brand’s impact on society is a reason why brand trust has become more important. 

    Trust is now the make or break difference for brands.  

    Click here to download the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020

     

    Time to Act: Brands Must Solve Problems and Advocate for Change

    A global pandemic and economic crisis, and mass demonstrations over centuries of systemic racism and racial injustice have pushed brands to the forefront of societal change. It’s not enough for brands to issue a statement or make an emotional ad. Consumers expect that brands will act and advocate on the personal and societal issues that affect their lives.

    An overwhelming majority say solving problems big and small matter most for brands today. 85 percent want brands to ‘solve my problems’, 80 percent want brands to ‘solve society’s problems’, 69 percent cite being a dependable provider, 64 percent cite being a reliable source of information and 63 percent cite being a protector.

    Solve my problems and society's problems

    When looking at today’s problems, people want brands to be more accessible and keep us safer. In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, people want brands to protect the well-being and safety of their employees and suppliers even if it means suffering big financial losses until the pandemic ends (90 percent) and to partner with government and relief agencies to address the crisis (90 percent).  

    Moreover, in response to racial injustice (from Edelman’s recent Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Racial Justice in America’), brands in the U.S. first must get their own house in order by setting an example within their organization (64 percent), by reflecting the full diversity of the country in their communications (63 percent) and by making products accessible and suitable to all communities (61 percent). And there are severe consequences for brands that fail to do so, with 52 percent of respondents of color saying that they will not work for a company that fails to speak out on addressing racial inequality, and 60 percent of Americans buying or boycotting a brand based on its stand on racial injustice. 

    Our data shows that it’s not enough for a brand to simply take a stand. Real action is needed, otherwise brands will be seen as exploitative or as opportunists.

    Concrete actions

     

    Brand trust is earned, not bought 

    Earned media is the battleground where trust is won or lost. Personal experience and earned media were found to be the most important factors in the gain or loss of trust amongst respondents. Influence is built through authority and empathy, with industry experts and people like themselves rated as most credible (60 percent and 59 percent respectively). 

    Advertising’s effect has become diminished. Now, nearly 7 in 10 say that they use one or more advertising avoidance strategies. The shift from 2018 to 2020 has shown double-digit increases from those who avoid ads by using ad blocking technology (+10 pts), paying for streaming services (+15pts) or findings ways to avoid almost all ads (+12pts). 

    There is a place for advertising, and it is with messages centred around solutions. In fact, 61 percent say they respect and appreciate when brands spend money to keep them informed about what they’re doing to help others during the pandemic. 

     

    Trust Defines Brands

    Ultimately, trust unlocks deeper, more resilient relationships between the brand and its consumers. We found that those who highly trust the brands they purchase will reward them with loyalty, engagement, and advocacy: 

    • Loyalty: 75 percent of people with high brand trust say they will buy the brand’s product even if it isn’t the cheapest, it is the only brand of the product they’ll buy, and they will immediately check out a new product from that brand to purchase 

    • Engagement: 60 percent of people with high brand trust say they’re comfortable sharing personal information with the brand, and they pay attention to the brand’s communications 

    • Advocacy: 78 percent with high brand trust say they’ll likely share or repost content about the brand, they will recommend the brand to others, and they will defend the brand against criticism 

    The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 shows that in the face of global crises, action and advocacy leads to trust. Brand trust now lives at the intersection where personal and societal issues converge, and where words are backed by action. The time is now for brands to take a stand and advocate for change, inspire hope, and use their scale for good to improve society.

    trust

    Click here to download the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020

    Discuss the report with an Edelman advisor

    Methodology

    The Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 was conducted by Edelman Intelligence between May 27 – June 5, 2020, surveyed more than 22,000 respondents in 11 markets: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, S. Africa, S. Korea, UK and U.S. All data is nationally representative based on age, region, gender and additionally in the UK and U.S. by race/ethnicity.

    Related Content

    Research

    “There’s no pill you can take:” Systemic racism and the path forward for brands

    Lisa Ross /

    On May 25th, when George Floyd was willfully suffocated at the hands of the Minneapolis police, something snapped in many—not all, but a lot—of us worldwide. This particular murder was emblematic of the injustices Black people have faced in the U.S. for more than 400 years and continue to face today.

    As protests continue, CEOs and brands have rushed to make immediate public statements, lest erring on the side of omission. Some of them have been well-received (Ben & Jerry’s vowing, in succinct terms, to “dismantle white supremacy.”) Some of them have been met with scorn (the NFL’s tone-deaf role reversal following years of peaceful protests from Black players).

    Many of these statements have been met with calls to put action behind an immediate reaction. There are critiques of opportunism. Some say brands are leaning too far out on a limb in the interest of pushing product. And, in a related critique, others say white allies are overtalking in the interest of virtue signaling.

    What cannot be denied: The tide toward social activism for brands—one we’ve observed for many years—is coming to shore. And, importantly, it’s here to stay. Not only are consumers demanding immediate action, they are also looking for a sustained movement in how brands think and communicate.

    According to our latest pulse poll on Trust, released today:

    • 60 percent of Americans say that brands must take a stand and publicly speak out on racial injustice.
    • 60 percent of Americans say that they will buy or boycott based on a brand’s response to the current protests.
    • Young people—18-34-year-olds—are leading the charge, with 78 percent of respondents saying that a brand must speak out.
    • Nearly 2/3 of respondents say that brands need to reflect the full diversity of the country in their communications
    • And the moment is intersectional, with increased support coming from Asian Americans and Latinx individuals.

    For brands and their corporate parents, there is no pill you can take, no one-size-fits-all. This is hard, complex, varied. 63 percent say brands just making a statement without action could come across as exploitative and opportunistic. And 60 percent say brands need to invest in addressing the root causes of inequality—a massive call to action for the private sector.

    The reality: You can’t fix in a month what’s been happening for centuries. But brands must step up to this universal demand for change. Our research shows that brands who lean into this moment are far more likely to gain trust than to lose it. Remember:

    • If you haven’t earned the right to join this conversation, it’s never too late.
    • Your actions must be true to yourself, your values, your culture.
    • One statement, one action will likely not be enough.

    This is a moment, but it’s not just a moment in time. It begins what will likely be a sustained and systemic shift by companies and brands, in partnership with their employees and consumers. Those in it for the long haul will reap the benefits of moral and social justice, more devoted consumers, and peace of mind.

    Lisa Ross is U.S. Chief Operating Officer.

    Insights

    COVID-19 and Public Affairs in the "new normal"

    Feargal Purcell /

    COVID-19 is a profound and ongoing trauma that is costing lives and causing huge pain to thousands of people. The scale and nature of the challenge it presents is also having a profound effect on how we are getting things done in Ireland. There is clear evidence of common cause across government, business, and broader society. Obstacles are removed as soon as they are encountered. Out of necessity, policy decisions beyond the imaginative scope of even the most radical of thinkers have been taken without compunction and followed by another shortly after.

    The ‘new normal’ for public affairs

    There is much speculation as to what a ‘new normal’ might look like when the worst effects of this pandemic do eventually pass, and when it comes to public affairs that new normal is probably already here.

    Good public affairs is about forming mutually respectful relationships, where all perspectives are heard and understood, so that strong and sustainable public policy and business decisions can be made that benefit the citizens of the state.

    The best public affairs strategies are holistic, they are products of a 360-degree societal perspective and they facilitate dialogue between all the key pillars of our democracy: the public, their political representatives, the government, the NGO sector and business. Right now, the COVID-19 challenge demands that a public affairs consensus be arrived at, where all these elements align, so the best and most timely decisions can be made to meet the existential crisis we face. The necessity to protect and inform our citizenry and to insulate our society and economy to the greatest extent possible has seen the emergence of such an alignment.

    The importance of trust: An update to the Trust Barometer Survey

    All good relationships thrive on trust. The relationships between our people, government, business, media and NGOs are complex, and need to have a solid foundation of trust if they are to have any value. Given the sudden and existential nature of the threat posed by COVID-19 and the uncertainty and fear it has produced, Edelman decided to undertake a fresh iteration of our Trust Barometer Survey. It helps to know where the global public are at so that their needs are understood and met.

    The findings have no precedent in the 20-year history of Edelman compiling this survey.

    If COVID-19 and the response to it have proved anything it is that in a crisis we turn to government and government agencies. We place our trust in them. Only last January, the previous iteration of the Trust Barometer measured Government trust ratings at 54% whereas the most recent survey taken between 15th-23rd April 15 puts it at 65%. That global surge in Government support outstrips that which occurred in the aftermath of 9/11 and the 2008 recession. We are, clearly, very afraid. Right now, people are very willing to sacrifice personal liberties, with 73% of citizens agreeing that movement restrictions are entirely reasonable. That kind of common cause is unusual and probably unsustainable.

    On all of the key metrics, containing the pandemic, providing economic relief and support, helping people cope, and reopening the country, governments are by some distance the most trusted of the institutions when compared to business, NGOs, media and even global health authorities. Whether or not these levels of trust remain, is impossible to say, this pandemic has no horizon that we can see. What is certain is that business and Government need to align when it comes to meeting the challenge. This is clearly what the public want to see from business given 86% of those surveyed believe that business must partner with government to shape a better future. The public want less focus by business on changing regulation and more proactive engagement on protecting them and the planet.

    Equity and fairness

    Demands for equity and fairness had already reached a moral critical mass in Ireland prior to the last General Election. The narrative of that election foregrounded the issues of housing, health and quality of life. The Edelman Trust Barometer Survey reflects that narrative in its findings and shows that COVID-19 has increased the urgency around issues of fairness. 67% believe that the most vulnerable and least well off are suffering disproportionately during this pandemic. The demand for fairness is global, consistent, and supported by another finding that says 54% of people believe that capitalism, as it is currently functioning, does more harm than good.

    COVID-19 is presenting the greatest combined health, social and economic challenge this State has ever had to face. The policy response to that challenge has thus far been emphatic and effective. There was a sense right from the outset of common cause, of the need for every constituent part of the state to align in meeting the challenge of the pandemic, one that will continue for some time to come.

    The role of public policy

    Public policy is an excellent indicator of the direction of travel a society is headed. The laws we pass, the projects governments invest in with our money, the decisions we are asked to make in referendums, are all threads in our social fabric. These decisions and choices inform our lived reality and the atmosphere that pervades in society. As a people we have for some time been open, tolerant, and outward looking, but our laws did not reflect that. Significant strides have been made in recent years and political leaders and policy makers have found the courage to fall into step with real people in their real lives. Public Affairs has a crucial role to play in that process.

    Public affairs activity has long since divested itself of its niche status. Yes, ensuring external perspectives are heard in legislative and regulatory conversations is a critical element of public affairs activity. It should be in any healthy democracy. In framing policy and legislation governments need the perspectives of business, NGOs and independent thinkers or else laws and regulations will not be fit for purpose and people will be sold short. But public affairs has evolved. It is threaded through all communications disciplines and informs everything a business and government does. It is not a legislative “bolt-on” at the periphery of the decision-making process, it is central to deciding what the objective is in the first place, it is a point of departure.

    Public affairs is the art (or science) of creating common cause, of ensuring all are heard, of giving clarity to the challenges we face, and of identifying solutions needed to meet those challenges. Done well it creates the kind of momentum and cohesion that solves problems and acts as a hugely positive force in society. The response to COVID-19 is proving that.

    Eat. Drink. Trust.

    To help understand and navigate the complexities of trust within the world of F&B we have created Eat. Drink. Trust. Explore the findings of our report in more detail here, including how trust is faring in the industry overall, how this impacts people’s relationship with different categories, a closer look at key tensions in the F&B industry, and what companies can do to build trust and resilience.

    Find out more
    Research

    2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Spring Update Virtual Global Launch

    On May 5th, Edelman launched the 2021 Trust Barometer Spring Update: Trust and the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

    An update to the Edelman Trust Barometer launched in January, the Spring Update reveals a remarkable shift in the landscape of trust. The Spring Update shows that amid the Covid-19 pandemic, government trust surged 11 points to an all-time high of 65 percent, making it the most trusted institution for the first time in our 20 years of study.

    We spoke to a panel of distinguished leaders to hear their thoughts and ideas on what the four institutions - government, business, media and NGOs - need to do to deliver on expectations and build a more resilient system for the future. Our virtual panel included:

    • Oscar Munoz, CEO, United Airlines
    • David Gibbs, CEO, Yum! Brands
    • Andi Owen, President and CEO, Herman Miller Inc
    • Luigi Zingales, Director, University of Chicago Booth School of Business 
    • Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Trade

    The panel was moderated by Kirsty Graham, CEO of Edelman's Public Affairs practice, with an introduction by Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman.

    Full Panel

     

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    Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust and the Coronavirus Pandemic

    Richard Edelman /

    Edelman has just conducted a 12-market study on the critical role brands are expected to play during the coronavirus pandemic, completed on March 26. We interviewed 12,000 people in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, the UK and U.S. This follows on a study that we released two weeks ago on the role of the private sector during the pandemic. If you were ever in doubt that brands matter, this new data reveals the power and necessity of brand as well as their urgent need to act. Brands should find solutions instead of selling passion or image. They need to be tangible and fast, not impressionistic and conceptual.

    Expectation of Brands

    Respondents recognized the need for specific brand action to help address the societal challenges posed by Covid-19, from protecting the well-being of employees to shifting products and pricing to creating a sense of community. Sixty-two percent of respondents said that their country will not make it through this crisis without brands playing a critical role in addressing the challenges. Fifty-five percent said that brands and companies are responding more quickly and effectively than government. At the same time, 71 percent agree that if they perceive that a brand is putting profit over people, they will lose trust in that brand forever. About a year ago, our Edelman Trust Barometer special report on brands showed that brand trust is on par with quality, value, convenience and ingredients as a purchase consideration.

    Protect and Partner

    There is unanimity across markets (90 percent globally) that people want brands to do everything they can to protect the well-being and financial security of their employees and suppliers, even if it means substantial financial losses until the pandemic ends. Brands such as KFC have allowed sick leave to be taken and guaranteed wages for employees unable to work because retail locations are closed by government order. Brands are also being asked to shift to producing products that help consumers meet the challenges of today (89 percent) and to offer free or lower-priced products to health workers, people at high risk, and those whose jobs have been affected (89 percent). Finally, there is a clear desire that brands both partner with government (90 percent) and be a safety net stepping in to fill gaps in the government’s response to the virus (86 percent).

    Inform and Empathize

    Brands must focus their messaging on solutions, not selling. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they want brand advertising to focus on how brands help people cope with pandemic-related life challenges. Seventy-seven percent said they want brands only to speak about products in ways that show they are aware of the crisis and the impact on people’s lives. There is deep desire for expertise, with 78 percent rating medical doctors as credible spokespeople for the brand’s virus-related actions, with celebrities (26 percent) and influencers deeply discounted (28 percent). More than half of the respondents (57 percent) want brands to stop any advertising or marketing that is humorous or light-hearted. Fifty-four percent said they are not paying attention to new products at present unless they are designed to help with their pandemic-related life challenges. In short, respondents believe that brands can and should make a difference throughout the coronavirus crisis. HP’s donation of 3-D printers to hospitals to produce masks is an important example.

    Brands are a key source of information during the crisis. Eighty-four percent of respondents globally said that they want brands to be a reliable news source that keeps people informed. They want to receive this information from multiple sources, in part because they are skeptical about any individual medium given the epidemic of fake news. The most credible combination is mainstream media plus email. In markets with high politicization and low trust in media (U.S., UK, Canada), email is the first choice. A brand’s website plays a critical role in developing markets, notably Brazil, China and India. There is more belief in earned media (national media at 64 percent and local media at 62 percent) than in brand advertising (53 percent) and brand social media (51 percent).

    Educate and Connect

    People want brands to use their power to educate (85 percent). That means offering instructional information about how to protect themselves. An example of this is Microsoft’s Healthcare bot offered on the CDC website, which enables people to ask questions about their symptoms. People want to know that the brand is helping (89 percent) and how they can best access its product and services (88 percent).

    Brands should bring us together at this difficult time. Club Med has done this by repurposing its talent to design sports fitness at home. Respondents told us that they want emotional connection, which means helping them stay close to people they are being forced to physically distance from (83 percent). They also want compassionate connection, including brand messaging that communicates empathy and support with the struggles they face (83 percent). They want brand social channels to facilitate a sense of community and offer support to those in need (84 percent). Hearing from brands they use about what they are doing in response to the pandemic is comforting and reassuring to them (65 percent).

    Brands can build a new level of connection with consumers or lose the relationship forever. Sixty-five percent of respondents said that a brand’s response in the crisis will have a huge impact on their likelihood of purchasing it in the future. Sixty percent said that they are turning to brands that they absolutely can trust. Over one-third of consumers (82 percent in China, 60 percent in India) said that they have started using a new brand because of the innovative or compassionate way that it has responded. By contrast, there is great risk to brands that are perceived to be acting unsympathetically. One-third of respondents have already convinced other people to stop using a brand that was not acting appropriately (China 76 percent; India 60 percent).

    A New Role for Brands

    This global crisis will fundamentally change how we think, behave, and consume. There is no rapid return to normal. The new world will have trust at its core, with the brand mandate expanded to solve problems for all, protect all, care for all, collaborate with all and innovate in the public interest. At this moment of deepest global crisis, the public wants brands to step up, keep us safe, guide us and help us. Brands that act in the interest of their employees, stakeholders and society at large will reinforce their expertise, leadership and trust and immeasurably strengthen the bond they have with consumers.

    This is a moment when brands can prove that they put people, not profits, first. Respond with compassion and make a difference; this is the true test for purpose-driven leaders. The people are counting on us to deliver.

    Richard Edelman is CEO of Edelman.

    Edelman is supporting businesses and organizations looking to better understand the COVID-19 pandemic and its public health implications; manage communications with employees and customers; and receive guidance on strategies and policies for effective preparedness and response efforts.

    Please complete the below form to speak to Edelman's COVID-19 advisory team:

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