While brand marketers and their advertising
have gotten high marks for their messaging, marketing and public service during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a surge in perceived public trust for brand marketers, when it comes explicitly to
getting information to help understand the health crisis, brand rank as the least trusted source, according to the latest wave of a periodic tracking study conducted by McCann Worldgroup.
In
the U.S., only 6% of consumers cited brands as their "most trusted" source for understanding the pandemic, ranking them last among six categories surveyed.
Among all respondents worldwide to
the 14 country survey, 9% cited brands as their most trusted source.
Among both the U.S. and worldwide respondents, local health services/doctors ranked highest, followed by mainstream news
media, their governments, friends and family, and social media.
“The first two rounds of this study revealed tremendous opportunity for brands to generate real impact in this stressful
time," notes McCann Worldgroup Chairman-CEO Harris Diamond, adding, "The most recent data indicates that, by-and-large, brands are rising to the occasion by serving as pillars of truth, trust and
comfort when people are most in need. At the same time, attitudes and concerns are in constant flux, making it imperative for brands to keep abreast of the current consumer mindset in order to
continually play a crucial, meaningful role in the lives of their audiences.”
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