Earning trust has long been fundamental to a brand’s role — while it remains a fundamental component of brand-building, it’s becoming harder and harder to earn trust with today’s consumers.

Trust is a key driver of how people feel about a brand and their consideration for both initial and continued engagement. However, in the last 15 years, brand trust has slipped precipitously from 44% in 2001 to 18% in 2017.

Source: BrandAsset® Valuator USA All Adults FY 2001-2017

We’re studying some of the most trusted brands in our culture today for insights into better understanding how brands can leverage and build trust. Our analysis of the top 20% of most trusted brands in our BAV database included category leaders like Johnson & Johnson, American Red Cross, The U.S. Navy, Colgate, and Google.

Take a look at the chart below for a peek into the landscape of brand trust today. 

Stay tuned for updates on our forthcoming BAV Cultural Ranks Series, where we will dive deeper into this measure to understand:

• Why is trust in decline?

• What are the implications for brands that saw the biggest losses?

• What have been the tangible benefits for brands that have managed to maintain customer trust?

• What are the most productive pathways for driving brand trust going forward?