Consumer Trust Ongoing Concern for Marketers in 2021

2020 was the year of brand advocacy and outspokenness, and now, according to a survey by Iterable, 91% of brand marketers say they plan to stay focused on the trust-building strategies they developed during that time. There are various reasons for this: not only did the major events of 2020 necessitate a shift towards messaging based on solidarity and reassurance, but brands learned consumer loyalties could quickly change as consumers tried new services and products during lockdown.

Now, community and corporate social responsibility matter more than ever for building trust, as do the causes that captured our passion and imagination over the past 12 months. Iterable’s survey showed that 47% of brands issued statements about racial inequality last year, 40% issued statements on public health, 34% on gender inequality, 32% on LGBTQ pride, and 29% on climate change — demonstrating widespread corporate recognition for some of the most pressing issues of our time.