Presented at the Brand Strategy Innovation Summit | Sept 11 | Los Angeles by Alison Hadden, Head of Brand Strategy at Glassdoor If a brand is defined by the place it holds in the heart, mind, and wallet of its customers, trust is the currency exchanged at the core of this relationship. Gain trust with your customers and brand loyalty is yours. Lose it and you’re forced into a transactional relationship that turns your brand into yet another commodity. Now, new digital technologies and the emergence of the sharing economy have brought transparency and authenticity to the forefront of the conversation around brand health and the development of a trusted brand. Learn how legacy and newcomer brands are quickly establishing trust with consumers and its impact on brand health, awareness, and business performance.

1. The Role of
Transparency &
Authenticity in Building
a Trusted Brand Alison Hadden,
Head of Brand Strategy

2. The Role of Transparency & Authenticity
in Building a Trusted Brand
Alison Hadden
Head of Brand Strategy
Glassdoor
If a brand is defined by the place it holds in the heart, mind, and wallet
of its customers, trust is the currency exchanged at the core of this
relationship. Gain trust with your customers and brand loyalty is yours.
Lose it and you’re forced into a transactional relationship that turns your
brand into yet another commodity.
Now, new digital technologies and the emergence of the sharing
economy have brought transparency and authenticity to the forefront of
the conversation around brand health and the development of a trusted
brand.
Learn how legacy and newcomer brands are quickly establishing trust
with consumers and its impact on brand health, awareness, and
business performance.

3. Two thirds felt deceived
upon realizing that an article or
video was sponsored by a brand

5. is evaporating

6. Trust has
declined
across nearly
every business
sector

7. Trust levels in business
decreased in 16 of 27 countries

8. CEO credibility is at
an all-time low

9. 60% distrust
the media

10. and online search engines are now
the first place people go for news

11. 32% of senior executives say
building trust is one of their
biggest challenges, second only
to expansion and top line growth
over the next 1-2 yrs.
Global Consumer Top of Mind Survey, KPMG 2015

12. How can brands begin to rebuild
credibility with consumers?

13. 16 Key Attributes to Building Trust

14. We Have No Choice But To Adapt!
“Brands earn trust by being
authentic, and by being seen
as authentic.”
- Robert Wolcott, Professor of Entrepreneurship &
Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management

16. Consumers Employees Executives
Welcome the new members of your brand team

17. 88%
83%
81%
79%
74%
63%
59%
56%
49%
What people say
Online reviews
Online search results
News sources
Company website
Awards and rankings
Company leader comms
Advertising
Social networks
The Company Behind the Brand, Weber Shandwick, 2012

18. Peer Reviews Are Still #1
Other people’s experience
is my evidence
Innovation and the Earned Brand, Edelman, 2015
75% say they turn to the peer voice for purchase

19. Employees Rank Among Most Trusted Influencers

20. Executives Have Tremendous Power, Too
The Company Behind the Brand, Weber Shandwick, 2012

21. Trust is critical…you can’t ‘hire’
true brand ambassadors, you
must ‘earn’ them.
“6 Ways to Turn Customers into Brand Ambassadors”, Chief Outsiders, 2014

22. Consumers Employees Executives
These are your most influential Brand
Ambassadors

23. Today’s most trustworthy brands
have created relationships with
consumers through experiences
that trigger a visceral response.
“
”“Secrets of 10 Most Trusted Brands”, Entrepreneur, 2012

24. Forge connections with your consumers
MyStarbucksIdea.com

25. Engage with them, where they are

26. Be transparent
#EsuranceSave30

27. Actively listen and engage

28. And not just the good stuff…

29. Responding to feedback (especially
critical feedback) improves perception
of the product, brand, and seller – and
more than doubles purchase intent
among those who read negative
reviews.
Bazaarvoice, June 2014

30. Consumers Employees Executives
These are your most influential Brand
Ambassadors

32. Seek to understand your employees first
Most of what makes Google’s
culture work is free! People look
for meaning in their work…
Mission. Transparency. Voice.
These three components of our
culture create a virtuous cycle of
attraction, community,
engagement & innovation.
Laszlo Bock
SVP People Operations at Google

33. Ask for feedback

34. Ask for feedback
#SalesforceOOO

35. Promote your commitment to transparency

36. Empower them to share their experience
#SalesforceOO
O

37. Weber Shandwick 2014 Survey
Employees with socially-encouraging employers
are 24% more likely to help boost sales than employees
whose employers aren¹t socially encouraging.
Empower them to share their experience

38. Consumers Employees Executives
These are your most influential Brand
Ambassadors

39. Let consumers &
employees get to
know you

40. Know what you stand for and don’t compromise

41. Don’t be afraid to share your true self

42. Engage with employees in an authentic way

43. 8 out of 10 people are more
likely to trust and buy from an
organization whose chief
executive and leadership team
use social media.
MBA Online, 2014

44.  Trust can be rebuilt
 Transparency & Authenticity are critical
 Empower your people to be the voice of your brand

45. Questions? Please reach
out!
Alison Hadden,
Head of Brand Strategy
alison@glassdoor.com
@alisonhadden