It’ll come as no surprise, people have lost faith in brands and for good reason.
Try the 2008 financial crisis, hair-raising tales of corruption in big business or the constant bombardment of advertising messages. Wherever you choose to lay your hat, it’s undeniable that the good peoples trust ands faith in brands has gone.
The question is, does it matter?
If you can afford the ‘trust tax’ then no, but you better have deep pockets! The trust tax rises faster than London rental prices.
The trust tax incorporates higher transaction costs and unwanted legislation fees which shackle low-trust brands. Additional ad spend required to sell low-trust products also falls firmly within this tax. This monkey whips like a jockey on the back of low-trust brands, the lower the trust the harder it whips.
If you can’t afford the trust tax the answer then has to be yes, it does matter that the people have lost trust and faith in brands.
So how do we as digital marketers help our brands earn back trust? Enter the humanised brand.
The concept is simple, build emotional connections between humans and brands. Humanised brands replicate the emotional connections humans build with each other by maintaining honest two-way communication channels. The idea being that the consumer and brand become part of each others lives, just like real human relationships.
The importance of the humanised brand should not be underestimated. The intimacy created benefits both parties. Consumer’s ever changing needs and wants can be met by a trusted and preferred source. Brands are fuelled by instant feedback, customer loyalty and increased sales.
Beware, humanising a brand takes some thought. It requires an open culture with a human mentality and a lot of patience. This could be quite a shift for many corporations. So take your time and be sure to plan accordingly if you want to make this work.
Find out more about the characteristics of humanised brands in our post 11 Characteristics of Humanised Brands.
Thoughts on the humanised brand? Drop them into the comments section below.