How Can Brands Build Trust for the New Normal?

With COVID-19 restrictions beginning to ease and vaccines becoming widely received, consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable resuming old habits and returning to a more public life. For brands and organizations, this creates an opportunity to build trust and reset previous views of your brand or organization.

The past year accelerated the call for corporate social responsibility including the social justice movement and politics, which have caused many consumers to criticize corporations that they are employed at or buy from for either the stance they have taken or not doing or saying enough.

A report from Harris Poll and Adage, emphasis that companies can build trust in 2021 by being sure to deliver on promises they have made over the past year. 76% of those surveyed said that they expect companies to follow through on the stances they taken and promoted on social media furthermore proving that it is more than a statement.

When asked what that follow-through looks like, 50% said that companies should follow through by donating money to the causes that they communicated support for and 47% said that companies could make internal changes including hiring practices, product lines or operating structure.

Can you guess what the least-preferred method among participants in the survey? Posting on social media.

While posting on social media can be a great way to raise awareness or support for an issue, consumers and your audience are going to be looking to see if you followed through on those commitments. With many of us beginning venture more out of our homes, this is the time to build and maintain trust for the future.