In 2020, make honesty the foundation of your brand

 “I'm not upset that you lied to me; I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche

One indisputable lesson from the past decade is that no progress can be made from dishonest foundations. It’s too often that those in positions of power lie, then walk back from it—not unnoticed, but seemingly unpunished. Even more distressing is the backtracking required when we must undo or unravel supposed “progress” revealed to be based on those original lies.

Fortunately, today’s most dishonest brands are more likely to be on the receiving end of Nietzsche’s comment—and they are less and less likely to emerge unscathed. Analysts at Edelman claim “being able to trust brands matters to consumers more now than ever” based on their 2019 study. Among 25,000 consumers from across the globe, “trust is almost as important to consumers as quality and value.” And yet, a mere 34% of these consumers trust most of the brands from which they buy.

Brands Dabbling in Dishonesty Are Having an Unprecedented Public Moment

The 2010s gave us an almost maddening stagnation among some companies when it came to telling the truth. In arguably low-impact cases, this can have substantial impacts on customer loyalty and the bottom line. In 2012, for example, Sketchers paid a $40 million settlement when it was proven their Shape-Ups shoes did not “burn calories” or “firm thighs with each step” by virtue of the product, as the company implied.

If you’re a certain type of business owner, it’s easy to dismiss this instance as ‘the cost of doing business,’ despite the enormous sum. And while misleading advertising is just a part of modern life, there is no way to measure the damage done to consumers who believed the company and bought their shoes. (How many service workers on starvation wages bought the shoes thinking they’d get a free workout during a 12-hour shift?)

But more importantly, any messaging Sketchers attempts in the future about the health impacts of their products—even if genuine—are forever tainted by this original deception. For a company like Johnson & Johnson, who is facing lawsuits from 15,000 people over the cancerous effects of their talcum powder that the company knew about for decades but did not disclose, the cost of human life—let alone the long-term damage to their brand they will likely end up spending millions to repair—is far more egregious than a less-than-effective shoe.

Today’s Consumers Seek the Truth, and You Need to Help Them

Still, the past decade has yielded positive and powerful outcomes for consumers, as research, visibility, and the ability to connect with others become easier for the average person. In addition to digital touchpoints giving us access to the vast majority of reputable news and research publications, connecting with one another for individual insights—be they from friends and family or via product reviews—is transforming the way we buy and sell consumer goods.

Consumers are interested in the makings and manufacturing of a product, but they increasingly rely on each other for context about the products that interest them. A recent Harvard Business Review study found that in addition to seeking peers’ impressions of the quality of products, they “also need information about an adviser’s decision criteria” and the ways in which those influencers use the products successfully. Brands that aid in consumers’ efforts to find the truth—to access reviews and honest insights form other consumers—are at the forefront of efforts to both empower customers and simplify purchase decisions in a genuine way.

Some cutting-edge brands are leveraging this natural development to their advantage, guiding consumers to the right information but also engaging them directly with immediate honesty. Seed, which manufactures a new generation of probiotics, launched its own ‘University’ on social media to fight misinformation and foster ‘accountable influence’ on channels where influence marketers are paid top dollar to shill consumer brands. Seed sends its influencers to their University for an interactive 59-minute educational course accessible via Instagram that includes a final exam about bacteria, the microbiome, probiotics, and the Seed product (notice their product is last) before Seed will partner with them.

How valid is their University? Unlike the dubious ‘academic’ pursuits industries have propped up in the past, Seed’s curriculum uses real science and it is available to the public for free.

This Year, Make ‘The Cost of Doing Business’ About Honesty, Dissemination

The 2020s will be a decade where brands must take unprecedented steps towards regaining consumers’ trust. Fortunately, they have the tools and means to do so, and the incentive to engage consumers on their terms.

Don’t be surprised when any number of brands botches these efforts, hoarding ‘Likes’ to boost profits for short term gains. But you also shouldn’t be surprised when the collective power of modern consumers begins burying those brands in the ground.