A matter of trust
Edelman, which publishes the annual Trust Barometer, weighs in on what brands need to do to earn the public’s trust during the Covid-19 pandemic:
People are more likely to purchase something from a company during and after the coronavirus crisis if that company speaks out appropriately about the pandemic now, according to a new survey from Edelman.
The big picture: Data shows that consumers overwhelmingly want brands to speak out regularly during the pandemic, but that they don't want to be sold anything that isn't going to help make the situation better.
I raised this very point in my most recent blog post about content marketing: Don’t try to sell me something that isn’t going to make my life better or my job easier during the present crisis. More from Edelman:
By the numbers: An overwhelming majority of people (78%) find that businesses have a responsibility to ensure their employees are protected from the virus in the workplace and do not spread the virus into the community, according to the Edelman survey.
Roughly two-thirds (66%) say that hearing from brands they use about what they are doing to respond to the pandemic is comforting and reassuring,
Most respondents (86%) say that brands should "be a safety net," stepping in where they are needed and able, to fill gaps in the government’s response to the virus
An overwhelming majority (90%) say brands should partner with the government and relief agencies to address the crisis.
If anything good is emerging from this crisis, it is a renewed spirit of community: a desire to support small local businesses, help others in need of food or money, and ensure that our neighbors are taking care of themselves. That is manifesting itself in a deep concern over those workers whose jobs require that they continue to work outside the home, from doctors and nurses to grocery clerks and package handlers. The brands and organizations that can demonstrate they are helping others and not just themselves will come out of this crisis the better for it.