In an age when trust in the media is at an all-time low, authenticity has become the ultimate marketing buzzword. It is taken to mean brands that are true to their values, focused on their customers and responsible in their behaviour. Rebekah MacKay Miller, MD of international collaborative marketing agency, trnd, looks at how brands can use authenticity as a meaningful way of connecting with customers.
We live in an age where trust is at an all-time low. A 2016 study by Ipsos Mori found that in the UK, politicians are trusted less than estate agents, journalists and bankers. Public trust in media is at its lowest-ever point, according to Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer. Global institutions are trusted less than at any time since the 2009 crash, with people favouring the opinions of their peers over those of experts (Edelman Trust Barometer, January 2017).
If people don’t trust institutions, leaders or experts any more, who do they trust? The answer is each other.
There is an opportunity here for brands. By engaging directly with consumers, brands can tap into trusted networks of friends, colleagues and shared interest groups. They can activate consumers by creating relevant content and even products that people want, and want to share with their friends.
But to do that effectively, they have to be authentic.
Authenticity was the buzzword of 2016. In 2017 – the year of ‘post-truth’ and ‘alternative facts’ – it becomes more relevant than ever.
It has to be more than a marketing term. If people don’t trust experts, or institutions, or politicians, they’ll only trust brands that put their money where their mouths are, and behave in the way they say they’ll behave. That’s authenticity.
Live your values.
Some brands – like Ben & Jerry’s – nail their colours to a mast on some of the biggest issues facing our world today. Climate change, marriage equality and politics are all issues that Ben & Jerry’s take seriously. It does this because its founders genuinely care about these issues, not because it’s clever marketing. People know what the brand stands for. Not all brands will feel comfortable taking such a position. But to be relevent, and for consumers to relate to a brand, it needs to stand for something. Just look at the power of the #stopfundinghate campaign to put pressure on brands not to advertise on media sites that routinely use divisive language.
Consumers expect brands to take a stand on issues that matter to their consumers, and to be their authentic selves. They will judge not by a strapline or a product pack, but by whether the brand lives by its values, fulfils its corporate responsibilities, cares about its customers, and does right by its employees.
Be a trusted voice in a chaotic world.
We know that people trust the experiences and opinions of their peers more than they trust advertising. The rise of fake news means that reputable sources of information hold more weight than ever, particularly on social media. There’s a real opportunity here for brands to be trusted sources of information. People will trust what you say if their own values are reflected in your brand.
Demonstrate through action.
People are fed up with slick. They want real. Relevant.
That means a campaign doesn’t have to be beautifully executed, or polished. It just has to be real.
Dove has always promoted its products as being for real women. Its marketing reflects this – featuring women of all shapes, sizes, ages and skin types in its campaigns. In seeing a more realistic image in campaigns, people who are like us, we start to see Dove as a real, down-to-earth brand. And one that we can trust.
Vogue UK’s recent issue was free of models and instead used ‘real people’ (not models) to showcase designer clothes. It’s an exciting move, and the timing was significant (the issue after Fashion Week). Emily Blunt on the cover was a clear statement – although a film star, she is seen as down-to-earth, and plain speaking.
Authenticity pays.
Authenticity has a powerful impact, not just on reputation, but on sales. When fashion retailer, Aerie, used women of various sizes to model its underwear and swimwear (without Photoshop) it saw a sales increase of 32%. There’s power in working with your consumers.
At a time when trust is at an all-time low, and brands are struggling to cut through the noise, authenticity matters more than ever. Say what you mean, and do what you say.
By Rebekah Mackay Miller
MD