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Sex, Lies And Slave Labor: Why We No Longer Trust Brands

This article is more than 7 years old.

We’ve all developed a pretty strong BS detector, and with every new generation it seems to get stronger. Couple this with the power of the Internet and we are now armed with instantaneous information on every man, woman and company in the universe. Minor misdemeanors as well as successes are now broadcast over the entire planet in seconds. This has created an environment where brands can’t hide the mistakes they make.

As of late, episodes like the VW emissions scandal, the Ashley Madison hack and the FIFA bribes point to an obvious question: Can any organization be trusted?

The VW, Ashley Madison and FIFA scandals are only the tip of the iceberg. Many brands have been losing the trust of their fans and consumers through questionable behaviors.

For example, McDonald’s became an even bigger poster child for underpaid workers and low-quality food last year but decided instead of making better food and paying better wages, it would try to freshen up its image in a small rebranding campaign called Lovin’ Beats Hatin’. Not surprisingly, it didn’t help, and the campaign was quickly terminated.

Fancy Feast (a cat food company owned by Nestle) used fish in its products that apparently came from slave ships where kidnapped workers were chained and beaten. Nestle’s tag line, "Good Food, Good Life,” doesn’t really jive with that reality, does it?

Social media has added another dimension to this. Social media accelerates public debate at a speed that is both good and bad. The good, for those companies, is that bad press can quickly disappear into the ether of other news that steamrolls through every day. The bad is that bad news lasts forever and travels far and wide at a speed quicker than you can say “lawsuit.”

The result of this is that people no longer trust brands. According to an infographic from DK New Media with data culled from Forrester, 32% of online consumers trust a stranger’s opinion on public forums or blogs more than they trust branded advertisements and marketing collateral.

As a result, companies are starting to look at alternative ways of advertising and promoting themselves in order to build credibility and loyalty. One hot new tactic on the block is employee advocacy. Employee advocacy is, essentially, empowering your employees to promote your brand and content on social media through the posting and sharing of branded content.

All Business Is Human

Sillas Poulsen, COO of employee advocacy software company, Newsio, comments, “The truth is many people have lost faith in brands, so companies are turning to their most valued asset, their employees, in order to build credibility with consumers.” He continues, “People trust people, and word of mouth from your employees can really help you promote your brand and content. This is why employee advocacy is an important tactic today.”

Employee advocacy could be a strong force for good and a major contributor in the resurgence of trust in brands. We’ve seen a significant uptick in how social media influences purchasing decisions, and companies that activate and empower their workforce to promote and share on social media will be the new winners of tomorrow

The Golden Rule

Why is the hunt for continued increased profit more important than doing the right thing? When did it become old-fashioned to be a “gentleman” and serve with moral and ethics? Is it the chase for the Holy Grail known as shareholder value that is the only motivation for business today?

You might remember the phrase, “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law of the prophets.”

I think it’s great being successful, and I wish that every business owner and entrepreneur could make a fortune doing what they believe in, but do it “the right way,” the SMARTnership way, where you win but not at the expense of others. That is actually possible.

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