The erosion of trust that is endemic across the Western world has both positive and negative implications. On the positive side, a healthy level of cynicism is leading to a questioning of the status quo. On the negative side, the erosion of trust in even some of our most valuable societal pillars is leading to an epidemic of anxiety. And as trust becomes more elusive, we’re increasingly turning to social proof for validation of the decisions we make – even how we feel about ourselves.
Meanwhile, the traditional barriers to competition of time, distance and product variability are being flattened. Responses to shifts in trust are happening with greater speed than ever before.
Building and maintaining brand trust is becoming harder, but also more important than ever before. Brands that build advocacy through the consistent delivery on consumer promise, responsive product support (especially when something goes wrong), an unwavering commitment to ethical practices, and a responsible approach to environmental stewardship will build enduring competitive advantage.
- Shift towards customer advocacy
Trust today is built on more than marketing messages. It stems from genuine advocacy by customers who believe in your brand’s integrity. These advocates are powerful marketing assets who share honest experiences and act as grassroots ambassadors. According to Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer, 68% of consumers will not buy from brands they do not trust, regardless of product superiority or cost. This highlights the nexus between brand awareness and market trust as an unbeatable driver of growth – now more than ever.
A brilliant example of this can be found in the ‘unbreakable’ Toyota HiLux. For over a decade, Australian tradies have sworn by these ‘bullet-proof’ vehicles, despite the Mitsubishi Triton being better equipped and less expensive.
- Transparency: the new non-negotiable
Radical transparency – from pricing and sourcing to production and digital practices – underpins trustworthy brands. Companies now “grow in public”, sharing successes, challenges, supply-chain realities and the human stories behind their products.
Transparency about data usage and privacy is vital. Sixty-six per cent of consumers say they are more likely to trust a brand that clearly explains how their data is collected, used and safeguarded. Transparency is both ethical and strategic – a lesson learned by sporting apparel companies a decade or so ago, when claims of child labour in offshore manufacturing led to reworked supply chains, with sourcing integrity becoming a hygiene factor for market success.
- Ethical business practices and customer care – before and after the sale
How often have you heard of companies promising the world, only to fall over when fulfilling those promises? The Australian residential construction sector is renowned for this, often offering a stunning customer experience until the contract is signed, then spending the entire construction period leveraging contract variations as a tool for increasing margin.
Getting this right, however, is one of the most inexpensive pathways to building trust and advocacy. DPR&Co’s longstanding client, Sabco, makes an art form of this. As Australia’s most successful cleaning products company, Sabco never quibbles over a client complaint. It’s either an instant refund or a replacement product – no questions asked, and no product return required. Any hint of dissatisfaction receives an immediate response, often accompanied by a call from the CEO. That’s how seriously Sabco takes customer satisfaction. Is it any wonder this company is so successful?
- Personalised, value-aligned experiences
Trust grows when customers feel understood and personally valued. Ethically using customer data to deliver personalised, values-aligned messaging fosters meaningful connections, transforming transactions into empathetic relationships.
I use three online wine retailers – Get Wines Direct, VinoMofo and United Cellars. I originally bought from them on price. Experience then told me their product reviews could be trusted. Now, each retailer has a profile of what I like to buy. My purchase history tells them my staple varietals and those I’m exploring. I also ask them to call me when they have a wine being liquidated that normally sells for over $100 a bottle at cellar door for less than $30. I’ll occasionally test them using the Vivino app, but I’ve found these retailers to be consistently trustworthy. This is how I buy almost all my wine. You should try it.
- Content that educates and engages
Consumers want content that provides value beyond sales pitches. Brands build trust by offering educational and insightful material such as how-to guides, sustainability reports and honest impact stories. This positions them as thought leaders and trusted advisers, deepening engagement.
Like most Australians (and millions of people around the world), my family has a Breville Barista espresso machine. Part of this Aussie success story’s formula is its ‘how-to’ videos on YouTube. Some are created by Breville, but many more are user generated. This combines credible brand-generated advice with the ultimate trust builder – consumer advocacy.
- Social proof and responsiveness
Speaking of consumer advocacy, one of the most compelling forms of social proof is user-generated content. This can take the form of social media posts and reviews, but it can be as simple as people ‘wearing’ your brand.
One of the best examples of this is DPR&Co client Caterpillar®. Caterpillar is renowned for quality and dependability. Brand users were proud to wear the Cat logo on their vehicles and apparel. So much so that the brand was licensed to a major workwear and activewear company, taking the Cat brand to a much broader audience – particularly young men. Cat ensured that products carrying its brand lived up to its ethos, and Cat workwear is now a major label in Australian apparel. That’s a stunning example of social proof.
- Measuring trust for long-term growth
To maintain trust, brands must treat it as a core performance indicator. Regular tracking of metrics such as Net Promoter Score, customer retention and brand trust surveys provides actionable insights, allowing brands to refine strategies and address issues early.
A note of caution, however – never rely on a single data point to measure brand trust. All of Australia’s major banks made this mistake in the lead-up to the Banking Royal Commission. Each was earning NPS scores that created a false sense of security in which the banks revelled. What they were measuring was the quality of a transaction – not a relationship. And most of us know how inaccurate those assumptions proved to be.
Trust as a strategic imperative
In the long run, more than almost any other metric, brand trust differentiates successful brands from the rest. Leading brands embed transparency, ethics and customer focus into their DNA. Trust is the outcome of all the value and great experiences you deliver to your customers – and it is the foundation of lasting influence in today’s marketplace.