Over Two-Thirds of Consumers Will Ditch Brands They Don’t Trust

Consumers are mired in a trust crisis—and that’s a problem for brands, according to a new study from McCann.

The Truth About Global Brands study, released Wednesday, surveyed more than 20,000 people across 20 global markets. It found that though 72% of respondents believe it’s “more important than ever to prioritize truth,” 55% say that brands were more truthful 20 years ago than they are today. 

AI has only made things worse: 76% of respondents feared that, before long, they’ll be unable to tell actual humans from computer-generated ones.

“There’s this yearning amongst consumers worldwide to find the truth,” McCann global CEO Tyler Turnbull told ADWEEK. “But it’s harder than ever to do so in terms of the content that we’re consuming, the AI generation that’s happening, and frankly, the decline that we’re seeing in trust amongst large institutions, governments, and brands.”

In this new dynamic, the risks and rewards are both high. Over two-thirds of consumers (69%) said they’d abandoned the brands they no longer trust, while 80% said they’d “actively choose” brands they do.

While that makes it a difficult environment for brands to communicate with audiences, that communication is key to rebuilding trust, Turnbull said.

AI transparency 

That starts with being truthful about AI use.

More than half (53%) of respondents said that the most effective way to secure their trust is for brands to be up front about whether they’re using AI in their ads.

Take influencers, for example. The FTC’s required disclosure of any “material connection” with the brand applies to all endorsers—human or not.

The marketing department may leave it at that, but McCann’s data makes clear that consumers want to be advised when an avatar is talking to them.

“There’s a need to be authentic and open and transparent,” Turnbull said.

From the west to the rest

Another important factor in building trust is a brand’s understanding of global culture.

While a flood of information online has left many consumers confused and dubious, it’s also opened them up to a wealth of new ideas, trends, and outlooks, often from the earth’s far corners.