Latest news with #EdelmanTrust
Campaign ME
14-07-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Don't just tap into culture – help people make it
Everyone's talking about culture. Brands want to 'tap into it.' Agencies want to 'leverage it.' Strategies want to 'ride its waves.' But let's pause. Culture isn't a trend, a hashtag, or a limited-edition sneaker drop. It's not something brands tap into – it's something people live, struggle with, reclaim, and redefine every day. And here's the truth: brands don't shape culture – people do. But the smartest brands? They create space, tools, and platforms for people to shape culture with them. Cultural relevance = brand trust The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust, From We to Me, highlights how cultural alignment plays a growing role in driving trust. For example: 73 per cent of people say their trust in a brand rises when it authentically reflects today's culture; only 27 per cent reward brands that ignore culture and focus solely on product. of people say their trust in a brand rises when it authentically reflects today's culture; only reward brands that ignore culture and focus solely on product. Trust now sits shoulder‑to‑shoulder with price and quality as a buying driver. as a buying driver. Home‑grown brands enjoy an average 15‑point trust advantage over foreign competitors, underscoring the power of local cultural credibility. These fresh insights confirm what grassroots creators have signaled for years: culture is no longer a backdrop – it's the arena where trust is fought for and earned. From cultural reactor to cultural enabler Brands don't shape culture – people do. The smartest brands create space, tools, and platforms so people can shape culture with them. The 2025 Edelman Trust data shows that consumers now expect this partnership. If cultural alignment boosts trust by 73 per cent, enabling co creation isn't optional – it's table stakes. The opportunity for brands? Stop trying to be the face of culture. Start being the hands that help build it. Think of culture as a set of creative actions, not an image to display: A filmmaker in Dubai screens her story in a warehouse turned cinema at Alserkal Avenue. A designer in Jeddah turns recycled fabric into a fashion line. A graffiti artist in Riyadh transforms blank walls into social commentary. These are human movements, not brand moments. When brands fund, collaborate, or offer platforms, they move from cultural spectators to cultural partners – and earn the trust uplift proven in the Barometer. Make culture by understanding Middle East signals At Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, expanded artist residencies and micro-grants let creators redesign gallery spaces – showing how handing over creative control can help build authenticity, a key driver for 73 per cent of consumers. Anghami's 'Studio Next' programme in Lebanon gives emerging musicians free recording time and AI-driven promotion – a move that reinforces the home-grown trust advantage and elevates local creator visibility. The Giving Movement in the UAE has open-sourced design sketches, inviting customers to remix limited drops – converting passive buyers into co-authors and tapping into the demand for personal relevance. Three moves for brands that want to make culture Fund creation, not just consumption Sponsor creative labs, digital residencies, or youth collectives – and publish their work in your channels. Let people make, not just see. This shifts perception from advertiser to patron, a role 80 per cent of people still want business to play. Turn every brand surface into a platform Re‑imagine your showroom, app, or pack as a living canvas. Let real people remix visuals, stories, even pricing models. If AI search engines are the new shelf, your earned reputation must be rich with creator stories to surface high. Celebrate the brave, not just the cool Highlight voices pushing boundaries – especially those from under‑represented regions. In a grievance‑laden world, bravery signals empathy and commitment, both precursors to trust. In the past, brands tried to write the cultural script. Today, your role is publisher, patron, platform, provoker, partner. This isn't about ceding control; it's about earning relevance – and the trust dividend that follows. So stop asking, 'How do we reflect culture?' and start asking, 'Who are we giving the pen to?' Because in this new era, the brands that matter won't be those chasing culture. They'll be the ones helping people make it – and earning their trust along the way. By Prabs Iyer, Head of Strategy and Planning, Edelman Middle East.
Fast Company
19-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Leaders, you should absolutely talk politics at work. Here's why
Open your news feed or turn on a screen and images of conflict are impossible to avoid. Geopolitics is not the exclusive precinct of diplomats and politicians. For many, it is an intensely personal and emotional topic; a distant calamity can strike very close to home. And people do not leave their opinions behind when they go to work. In fact, many workers expect their employers to take a stand on social and geopolitical issues. In the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, almost 80% of respondents said that CEOs are justified in addressing a social issue when they can make a difference. Moreover, business remains more trusted than government, the social sector, or the media. With that position comes responsibility. A charged environment But it's a complicated one. Particularly in large global organizations, opinions are certain to vary: Where people grow up, what they experience, and how they consume news all shape their response to geopolitical events. Leaders need to be prepared to manage a highly charged environment where a single remark can spark controversy. Missteps can lead to a loss of trust, talent, and reputation. Insight, oversight, and foresight are all required to build geopolitical resilience There is also a fourth dimension: a people agenda. Just as business leaders develop a strategy to guide operational decisions, they need to do the same for engaging with their workforce on geopolitics. That means learning how to talk about sensitive topics; how to balance transparency with confidentiality; how to meet the rising expectations of employees, customers, regulators, and other stakeholders; and how to unify the organization around a shared commitment to good global citizenship. A strategic approach to engagement can be built on five pillars: multipolarity, mobility, messaging, motivation, and mission. Multipolarity In a fragmenting global order with new opportunities in emerging markets, issuing decrees from headquarters is not enough. Employees want the unique risks and opportunities in their home markets to be understood and reflected. To demonstrate a multipolar mindset, leaders can hold board meetings in different regions, ensure that important roles, such as on global risk committees, are filled with people who reflect the global nature of the organization, seek input from experts and advisors with a wide range of views, and get local advice when developing risk frameworks in markets with geopolitical sensitivities. Mobility Companies can help employees build understanding and trust with colleagues by creating opportunities for them to experience life and business outside their home markets. One global retailer, for example, brings its entire incoming analyst class in China to its U.S. headquarters each year. Many firms also offer rotational programs to help up-and-coming leaders gain a deeper understanding of how and where the company operates. Messaging Business leaders should define and communicate a set of principles that provide a clear rationale for which issues the company will take a stand on and which it will not. Considerations include the specific legal situation, the company's values, the business case, and impact on the brand. These ideas informed McDonald's messaging when it decided to pull out of Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the message must come from the top, communicating it can be done more broadly. Indeed, the messengers are as important as the message. Messengers may need to be on the ground in markets experiencing disruptions to learn from local colleagues and other stakeholders and show support in person. Employees tend to trust their immediate supervisors more than senior leaders; supervisors usually have more time to listen and learn. Similarly, seasoned executives with strong relationships across the organization may be able to play the role of shuttle diplomats and help employees understand the company's position while also serving as sounding boards and relaying frontline perspectives to senior leaders. Motivation Employers understand that the workforce values job security, compensation, and the opportunity to advance. But the desire for purpose and community is often underestimated. Management can enhance employees' sense of belonging during a crisis, for example, by offering matching funds for charitable contributions. If geopolitical issues force a company to suspend operations in a market, management can demonstrate its commitment to employees by offering support to those in the affected region. Mission A clear mission statement can transcend geopolitical differences and serve as a rallying point in moments of internal division. The mission of one large U.S. multinational, for example, includes making its services 'universally available.' This informs leaders' debates about whether the company should serve certain markets. Keeping the peace in the workplace when the world is in turmoil can be challenging. In revising their vision of the world to one that is connected yet contested, leaders may also need to revise how they engage with their people on a topic that is personal. In addition to taking steps to reduce risks ranging from screening processes to data access protocols, leaders must also take proactive steps to emerge as resilient organizations that can withstand centrifugal forces and seize new opportunities.
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Entrepreneurs Can Build Lasting Trust to Gain a Competitive Advantage
Jason Phillips Contributor The modern consumer's demand for quality products and services hasn't wavered, but modern entrepreneurs find themselves confronting a new set of demands that previous generations of founders could not imagine. One of the most important of these consumer desires is to have an active relationship of constructive trust with the brands they consume. Years of Edelman Trust barometer Special Reports support this. In the 2025 report, more than 60% of respondents reported moderate or higher grievances: they believe that the businesses they deal with make their lives more difficult, not better. They see businesses as less ethical and less competent by default. As far back as the 2019 report, more than 80% of respondents said that trust in a brand was a prerequisite to purchasing decisions. To counteract these feelings, entrepreneurs and founders must do substantial work to build a positive, trusting relationship with their consumers before those consumers ever do business with them. Good value and salesmanship are no longer enough to get in the door. Furthermore, trust in today's marketplace isn't built through local networks or word-of-mouth alone. The digital age has reshaped expectations, requiring businesses to establish credibility on a global scale and deliver value consistently. Modern Trust Blends Transactions with Relationships Historically, trust was built through local networks, personal recommendations, and face-to-face interactions. While those methods still hold value, they no longer meet the demands of today's digital-first world. Modern trust requires entrepreneurs and their brands to focus on relationships rather than transactions. Customers now seek brands that reflect their values and invest in meaningful, long-term connections. Sharing insights, engaging transparently, and addressing challenges openly are critical to building the meta-relationships on which this trust is founded. By prioritizing relationships, businesses create loyalty and establish a foundation for lasting credibility. Entrepreneurs can also make impressions based on who they interact with and other brand narratives that they partner with. Medhat Zaki, the co-author of 'Beyond Recognition: The Art of Unshakeable Lasting Brand Trust' made just this observation when he began seeking these partnerships. 'The reason for this is that I had tapped into a trust network that had global recognition,' he says. 'This resonated with my audience and verified my expertise.' The Three Pillars of Modern Trust-Building Medhat Zaki has done a great deal of thinking and writing about trust, and for him, the new modern trust between entrepreneur, brand, and consumer comes down to three interconnected pillars. Authenticity Through Real Stories: Audiences want to see the people behind the brand, understand their values, and witness how they navigate challenges. Entrepreneurs that take to new media—whether that's social media, video-sharing programs, or some more personal way of sharing content—to share relatable stories about their struggles, growth, and resilience often connect more deeply with their audiences than those that project a flawless image. Consistency in Actions and Communications: Trust requires predictability. Regular engagement, clear messaging, and reliable quality establish a dependable brand experience. Brands must align their communications across platforms, maintain a consistent tone, and deliver value in every interaction. Consistency in fulfilling promises and offering actionable insights ensures long-term customer loyalty. The Value-First Mindset: Prioritizing audience needs over immediate sales transforms trust into a competitive edge. A value-first approach includes providing free resources, solving problems proactively, and investing in long-term relationships. Entrepreneurs who align their interests with their audience's priorities cultivate trust that leads to sustained growth. Don't think of trust as a tool to reach some other bottom line. Trust has to be the goal, authentically; if you try to make it a trick, there won't be trust. Build authentic, real relationships with smart consumers who come to care about your product, and you'll find the competitive advantage comes on its own. For more advice and insight from Medhat Zaki, you can find out more about the bestselling booklet, 'Beyond Recognition: The Art of Unshakeable Lasting Brand Trust' by visiting online retailers.
