Trusting the brand

Table of Contents

Edelman’s recently released their results from the 10th annual Trust Barometer Survey. In the US, public trust in business has dropped by twenty percent and in Canada by four percent.

While we may think that Canada is optimistic compared to the US, a four percent drop is still significant. It demonstrates that companies need to be mindful that in this digital age, you can no longer be entirely in control of your brand by simply putting out messages (even if they are truthful) and expect them to be consumed as they are. If you want to be believed and taken seriously, you have to live and breathe the messages you want to convey, and you have to be willing to leave them up to public scrutiny. This isn’t new thinking, but it is becoming more understood as we start to see the effect social media and online dialogue is having on corporate brands.

Another interesting point to note; when asked about trustworthy news sources, Canadians ranked the following as most trustworthy: industry analyst reports (52%), articles in business magazines (50%), conversations with friends and peers (42%) and conversations with company employees (41%). Corporate communications initiatives fared much worse with press releases, company websites, product advertising and social networking sites ranking the lowest on the list.

I find the last point about social networks surprising, because when I am conversing on Facebook, Twitter or Linked in, these conversations are with trusted friends – how does that differ from the 42% of people who trust conversations with friends and peers?

Blog Posts by Keyword

Content Development

Effective, creative content is at the core of what we do. From B2B and B2C, our expertise spans article writing and storytelling, editorial planning, key messaging, video production and more. And we help ensure that your content gets seen. We amplify your brand’s story through an integrated, custom content strategy across digital, print, social and broadcast channels. We maximize owned, earned and paid media to amplify your message, making sure it gets in front of the right audience to drive the results you want.

VIEW OUR WORK

Corporate Communications

An integral part of any business, your brand reputation and corporate communication sets the tone with the public, your clients, employees and stakeholders – and we make sure you get the tone right. BlueSky helps you understand what matters to your audiences – both external and internal – and develops meaningful programs that resonate. We help clients with crisis and issues management, employee and executive communications, community relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whether it’s a workplace fundraiser event, an annual report, infographics, HR video or speechwriting, we help you share your message with relevant stakeholders.

VIEW OUR WORK

Social Media

Social media demands an always on, two-way communication, transparency, and authentic interaction. More importantly, it demands strategy. We’ve managed social communities, developed social media guidelines and created engaging, impactful content, whether a short Instagram caption or long-form executive-published posts on LinkedIn. Through social listening tools and insights, we can make sure you’re talking about what matters most to your audience, and that your online and traditional PR efforts are integrated seamlessly and effectively.

VIEW OUR WORK

Public Affairs & Advocacy

Our in-depth experience providing integrated government relations, public affairs and strategic communications tailored to your needs helps our clients navigate the public policy process in order to successfully achieve central objectives. We work with you to better position your priorities within the current political landscape to ensure you’re able to gain the ear of key decision-makers and reach your goals.

VIEW OUR WORK

Influencer Marketing

When it comes to social influencers it’s not about who has the biggest audience, but about engagement, trust and authentic connection. We leverage valued relationships with nano- to celebrity-level creators, working collaboratively to ensure they deliver quality content that resonates with your target audience and is on-point with your brand messaging. Our winning formula requires a thoughtful approach that combines the right people, the right content and the right distribution to maximize engagement and drive impact at scale. You’ll see the results in our campaign evaluations – supported by numbers that exceed industry average performance.

VIEW OUR WORK

Media Relations & Media Training

In an environment that is increasingly pay-to-play, earned media remains the holy grail of coverage for brand credibility. Over the years we’ve developed solid relationships with traditional and online media, and we know the elements of success for securing interest from trusted journalists at top-notch publications. We excel at crafting tailored, compelling stories that help keep your brand top-of-mind across print, broadcast and digital channels. You’ll see the results through our media measurement and reporting and assess your share of voice (SOV) among competitors.

VIEW OUR WORK