Advertising and Trust
The new campaign you’ve put together for a brand may attract the attention of many potential customers. But will they actually purchase the product or service being promoted? Have you ever asked yourself this question: “Do consumers trust my advertising?”
Degrees of trust in advertising
“Change is the only constant in life.” Marketers everywhere can relate to this expression. Changes in consumer needs and tastes, social media trends, and of course, artificial intelligence (AI), among others must be watched and adjusted when necessary. With so many points which need attention, there’s one that’s easy to lose sight of, and that is the degree of trust that consumers place in the ads presented to them.
A matter of trust, and the differences among generations
Trust may well be the foundation that all other changes spring from. And trust is the factor that marketers must be mindful of. Issues regarding trust strongly in advertising connect to attitudes of different generations. An article in Marketing Week, a U.K.-based periodical, observed a gap that exists between generations as to how they feel about the advertisements they are exposed to. And this gap is apparently widening. While this publication and those surveyed are in the U.K., the sentiments and attitudes are likely common and relatable all over the world. Topics covered:
Data privacy
This is very topical: Consumers between the ages of 35 and 54 prioritize the privacy and protection of their data above everything else. This in itself is not surprising, as the use of “cookies” continues to be phased out in favor of the direct and transparent strategies of first-party data in advertising.
The generational gap of data privacy: Younger respondents are more accustomed to web-based media that changes and are not as concerned, while those who are older are not as active—or as aware of—the risks involved with issues ranging from selling of their personal information to data breaches, among other concerns. (Yes, they may be worried, but not to the extent of the 35-to-54 age group.)
Too many ads in too soon a time frame
This is another situation that should come as no surprise. Yes, a hot new product may deserve a dazzling advertising campaign. What marketers forget, however, is that there are many other hot new items being advertised and delivered to consumers via email or banners constantly. No one likes to be bombarded with ads 24/7. This is not only annoying but has been discovered to be another source of mistrust in advertising among consumers. The timing and knowing when—and when not—as well as how often to deliver ads cannot be overemphasized enough. This leads to the ultimate point…
Transparency
Trust and transparency go hand in hand in marketing, and this is most evident when appealing to the customers of today—Generation Z (or, the younger respondents from the Marketing Week article). This audience, born between the mid-1990s and 2010, has a sixth sense when it comes to gauging whether or not an advertisement is genuine (read: transparent). From email ads to those posted on social platforms, among other channels, members of Generation Z have become so fed up with seeing so many ads that they’ve turned to podcasts as their source for news, entertainment—and even advertising. This is the audience by which all marketers should gauge the trustworthiness of their advertising.
What to avoid—and what to intensify—to reach consumers of all ages
In summary, marketers should ease up on bombarding existing and potential customers with ads, and to be mindful of their privacy. Advertisements should have an element of entertainment as well as being informative. The genuine value of what a brand has to offer must be presented. And, advertisements of brands that have a social benefit to contribute stand a great chance of being remembered—and sought after. (Social consciousness is another factor that Generation Z considers in its purchase choices.)
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