Written by Francesca Barber
Copywriter
What makes people trust advertising? Who knows.
Well actually, the UK’s advertising Think Tank, Credos, does know. They researched the topic in detail.
It wasn’t promised value that made advertisers most trustworthy. Not even social contribution (taking real action for the world) came first. It was enjoyment or entertainment.
If you’re fun, people trust what you say. It’s irrational, but it’s real.
In B2B, trust is everything. Buyers must trust brands with their careers. And how does the research teach us to inspire that trust? Be entertaining.
But in a digital era, many B2B ‘performance-marketing’ gurus sigh at data-deaf creatives who just want to be fun.
Have we got so bogged down in data points and messaging that we forget the basics? Why don’t we ask this question first, when assessing work?
“Do I enjoy looking at this?”
We aren’t our audience, but we are all human. If we think something is fun and interesting, they might agree. If we think it’s dull as ditch water, so might they.
That’s when the audience stops listening. That’s when they stop trusting. And if they’re not listening – and if they don’t trust us – how can our advertising drive sales?