We don’t trust brands anymore - and honestly, why should we?

Written By Sarah Brownson

If you feel like your audience is becoming harder to reach, harder to engage, and harder to convert - you’re not imagining it.

Trust is at an all-time low. Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer shows that trust in media, institutions, and yes - brands - continues to decline year over year.

Your clever wordplay and perfect palette won’t fix that.
But your honesty might.

We’ve Entered the Era of “Prove It or Lose Me”

No one wants to be sold to anymore.

They want to feel seen. Heard. Respected.

They want the receipts.

And frankly? It’s about time.

If your marketing is still operating in a “look how great we are” loop, you’re behind. Audiences now demand:

  • Transparency (not polished perfection)

  • Real experiences (not generic testimonials)

  • Vulnerability (yes, even from companies)

The brands that are winning? They’re doing it with content that feels alive. Not staged. Not “optimized.”

Honest.

Buffer is well known for their transparent content strategy. They built brand loyalty by opening up their numbers, culture, and mistakes. And in doing so? They earned themselves millions of loyal users in return.


Want to build trust? Do less, mean more.

This isn’t about “being authentic” as a trend. It’s about asking yourself:

  • Would I believe this if I saw it as a customer?

  • Does this content reflect what it’s really like to work with us?

  • Are we saying something that matters, or just something that ranks?

Because if your audience doesn’t trust you, they won’t hire you.

They won’t share you.

They won’t even remember you.

TL;DR (Scroll-friendly Recap)

  • Trust is the new currency in marketing

  • Over-produced, over-polished brands are being tuned out

  • Transparency, voice, and honesty are the edge now

  • Want real connection? Be real.


Let’s rebuild trust (together)

If your brand voice is feeling flat, hollow, or disconnected from who you actually are: Sovára Consulting can help you bring it back to life.

🧭 Explore Brand Messaging Support
📅 Book a Momentum Intensive to clarify your voice

Let’s make your brand feel as real as the people behind it!

Sarah Brownson
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