The document discusses the importance of authenticity for brands on social media. It provides 7 qualities of authentic people, including being accepting of oneself and thoughtful. It also discusses how the pandemic led to more organic, home-shot content that viewers prefer. To market authentically, brands should be honest, ensure their values are true, remain consistent in messaging, and think before speaking. Examples are provided of Summersalt's inclusive campaign and Burger King's Moldy Whopper video that validated claims. The future of branding emphasizes transparency, live streaming, hashtags like #nofilter, and use of "real" models.

1. Authenticity
SHELLY TWELLMAN

2. au·then·tic·i·ty
the quality of being authentic; genuineness.
representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself
or to the person identified

3. Have realistic perceptions of reality.
Are accepting of themselves and of other people.
Are thoughtful.
Have a non-hostile sense of humor.
Are able to express their emotions freely and clearly.
Are open to learning from their mistakes.
Understand their motivations (Frye, 2016).
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7.
7 Core Qualities of
Authentic People

4. Historical Context
online users believe that the media are
contaminated with untrustworthy information
57% 76%
worry about false information and fake news
being used as a weapon against them
global erosion of trust in national and social media which has led people to perceive a higher
exposure to disinformation (Mortensen, 2020)

5. Trend Timeline
Brands spend significant
amounts of money on
high end, polished
advertising. The
assumption was that the
more money you spent
on advertising to make it
"fancy", the higher sales
would be.
PAST
The World Health
Organization declared
COVID-19 a pandemic.
MARCH 2020
The United States,
alongside most of the
world, initiates
lockdowns and
encourages people to
stay home as much as
possible. Employers
transition to an entirely
virtual workplace.
Q2 2O20
With plenty of time on their
hands and nowhere to go,
people begin investing in their
passions and sharing their
experiences online.
Influencers begin shooting
content in their homes
without all of the studio
effects. Viewers eagerly seek
out relatable and authentic
content to compensate for
the lack of physical human
interaction.
Q3 - Q2 2021
VIewers have become
accustomed to, and actually
prefer, the organic and
authentic content created
during the pandemic.
Established brands begin to
rethink their entire approach
to online marketing and
scramble to try and figure out
how to build this new type of
trust with their customer
base.
TODAY

6. Brand
Authenticity
viewers are 2.4x times more likely to engage with user generated
content versus brand generated content
authenticity doesn't require expensive, high end marketing
campaigns
91% of consumers say they are willing to reward a brand for its
authenticity with a purchase, investment, or endorsement
62% of consumers would repeatedly purchase from a brand they
regard as authentic
smaller brands can compete on the same playing field as more
established brands due to the low barriers to entry
PROS
brands are falsely "authentic" and don't practice what they preach
online
for example, brands boast about being environmentally friendly
online but do not recycle in the office
viewers don't always believe a brand's attempts at authenticity
platitudes, common slogans and generic language could dull or
completely ruin the brand's message
easy to overuse popular buzzwords and "trendy" topics
CONS

7. Even when it difficult, being honest is one
of the most fundamental pillars of
authenticity. You cannot lie to your viewers
and target audience and expect them to
trust you. Always ensure all content is true
and factually correct.
Be Honest
HOW TO MARKET
AUTHENTICALLY
Do not create content that promotes
values that the brand does not represent.
Not everyone will promote the same core
ideals, and that's okay. Just make sure that
the brand's content shows that the brand
practices what they preach.
Ensure Values Are True
Ensure that all brand content conveys the
same message. The brand's message and
core values should be reflected in all
posted and shared content. Viewers will
not learn to trust the brand if their
messages are constantly changing or
conflicting.
Remain Consistent
Remember that it is impossible to take
something back once it has been posted.
Sharing content that may be construed as
offensive or rude could cause the brand to
go viral for all the wrong reasons. Ensure
that all content is always appropriate and
on brand.
Think Before You Speak

8. Example:
SUMMERSALT
After a year in lockdown and with summer weather in
full force, many women began to notice changes in
their body shapes and looks. For most, these were
not positive or welcomed changes. Summersalt,, a
women's swimwear company, launched the "Every
body is a Summersalt Body" campaign to celebrate
womanhood and individuality. The brand has always
pushed a message of inclusivity and offers a diverse
range of sizes including specialty and plus sizes.

9. Example:
Burger King
To commemorate the removal of all artificial
preservatives from their burgers, Burger King
launched the Mold Whopper campaign. In a
time lapsed video over the course of 34 days,
viewers watch as mold quickly grows and
consumes the burger. While the thought of a
moldy cheeseburger would typically disturb
most people, the visual validate the company's
claims about their food's ingredients and their
commitment to serving real, quality food.

10. Future
State
In real life, not everything is perfect. Authentic content
reflects this imperfection and embraces both the
beautiful and ugly, just like the Moldy Whopper
campaign.
UGLINESS
Video content is oftentimes the most difficult to edit or
filter, which causes viewers to find these posts more
believable. Live streaming builds upon this concept, as
these videos show user generated content in real time.
LIVE STREAMING
A popular hashtag trend on social media, the #nofilter
movement celebrates authenticity by encouraging
users to post content without enhancements or filters.
This hashtag is oftentimes used to validate that content
is authentic in a trendy way.
#NOFILTER
Brands have begun to realize that consumers want to
see models that are representative of them. Long are
the days of similar looking stick thin models. Just as in
the Summersalt campaign, consumers want to see what
clothing and accessories will actually look like on "real"
people.
"REAL" MODELS
The basis of authentic brand marketing is transparency.
In fact, most marketers are already beginning to refer to
this type of marketing as marketing with transparency.
TRANSPARENCY

11. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
Thank you!

12. References
Dastras, M. (2020, October 30). 4 Ways to be Authentic on Social Media (and Increase Engagement). Blog2Social Blog.
https://www.blog2social.com/en/blog/ways-to-be-authentic-on-social-media/
Frye, D. (2016, August 29). 7 Core Qualities of Authentic People. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-doesnt-kill-
us/201608/7-core-qualities-authentic-people
Georgiou, M. (2021, March 12). How And Why To Build Brand Authenticity. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/03/15/how-and-why-to-build-brand-authenticity/?sh=7346b87155b5
Mortensen, R. (2020, June 24). Why Authenticity Matters in Today’s Social Media Landscape. Falcon.Io. https://www.falcon.io/insights-
hub/topics/social-media-strategy/why-authenticity-matters-in-todays-social-media-landscape/
Rolling Stone Culture Council. (2021, May 24). 15 Telltale Signs of Inauthentic Marketing That Could Be Hurting Your Brand. Rolling Stone.
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/panels/signs-inauthentic-marketing-1173668/
Soni, D. (2019, September 19). Most ‘Authentic Marketing’ Misses The Mark. Here’s What’s Really Required. Minutes. https://minutes.co/whats-
required-for-authentic-marketing/