Evidence For Transparency

Over half of us are now “seekers.” According to Harris Interactive, 56 percent of Americans proactively try to learn more about the brands and organizations they choose to do business with.  This is notably up from 50% just one year ago further proving that transparency and understanding how companies do business is of ever-increasing importance.

If you’re not a “seeker” you’re a “bystander,” according to Harris, and a key difference between the two groups is what happens after each hear something noteworthy about a company. It turns out 47 percent of “seekers” will pro-actively try to influence a friend of family member’s perception of an organization compared with only 25 percent of “bystanders.”

But all of us, regardless of our grouping, are becoming more skeptical. Edelman’s ongoing Trust Barometer reports that 8 in 10 “informed citizens” from around the world need to hear information about a company twice before they’ll believe it.

All of this points to why the solid, reputable companies put a significant amount of energy into fixing and clarifying their stance when something goes poorly. Such as when FedEx had this unfortunate moment and they responded beautifully.

It’s also why many brands are letting us behind the curtain to understand why things are the way they are. Like why cheeseburger photography always looks so yummy compared to what we’re served… and it’s not necessarily for the reasons many may think.