When Brands Break Trust
Trust is not an easy thing to acquire. It’s precious and fragile. Once a company builds trust around its brand, it must do everything possible to keep it. Once that trust is broken, for whatever reason, it can be nearly impossible to get it back.
Johnson & Johnson
In the past several years, J&J has faced (and still faces) over 10,000 lawsuits over talc products (baby powder). They have lost some of the trials (under appeal), but others have been thrown out or declared a mistrial. On top of defending the products in court, J&J faces another court – that of public opinion. If you read through the comments and replies to JOHNSON’S baby Facebook posts, you’ll see they seem to be losing that case. When it comes to products that consumers use on their babies, there is absolutely no room for mistrust. As a new mom myself, I have been given J&J products that I still haven’t opened 7 months later. In addition to the potential cancer issues, the products can sometimes be an irritant to those with sensitive skin. But who has more sensitive skin than a baby? Even a little anecdotal evidence can sow seeds of distrust enough for parents to turn to a more trusted brand.
The Honest Company
The market for natural and organic baby products is huge. Why? Because parents want the absolute best for their babies. Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company hasn’t faced allegations that their products are bad or dangerous though. Their lawsuits instead focus on allegations that they’ve been less than, well, honest. Whether it’s laundry detergent, soap, or sunscreen, lawsuits accuse The Honest Company of misleading consumers regarding the ingredients of their products. When “honest” is in the name of your company, it can be very damaging to the brand to come under fire for misleading buyers.
The Truth – EnVeritas
The truth is that almost every company is going to have issues at some point. The ones that are able to turn a bad situation around are the ones that will survive. As far as ethics go, it starts at the top. If the product or service is dangerous or toxic to consumers, or even deceptive toward them, it will come out in time. You can have the best branding team in the world, but they won’t be able to undo the damage once consumers have lost all trust in the company. Alternatively, if you do things the right way the whole time, that can sustain your brand through a crisis. At EnVeritas Group, our name itself sets the standard for our work. We want to help brands tell their truth and build trust with their audience the right way. Regardless of your industry, you can appeal to your consumers without resorting to underhand tactics. Your content can be both honest and engaging.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can build trust and engagement with your brand, you can email us or fill out this form. We’d love to help you!
Charlotte Price – Content Creator
