Archive
Authenticity
-
Toward tangible change: the power of campaigning for modern sports activists
August 26, 2021
“Everything,” as the German novelist Thomas Mann observed, “is politics”. Sport in particular, with its enormous appeal across borders, cultures and classes, combined with the truly global reach of its showpiece events, is a very effective and oft-deployed diplomatic tool. As an industry or career, it is also intensely meritocratic. More than almost any other, its professionals have tended to be promoted and revered on account of their ability – rather than their race, class...
-
Authentic leadership and the new CEO agenda
August 16, 2021
Today’s consumers have a complex view of authentic leadership and when and why they believe CEOs should take a public stance on complex issues such as public health, climate change, diversity (and diverse representation within a company's workforce and its leadership). Three-quarters (74%) report it’s important for CEOs to take a stand on issues that ‘reflect the collective views and actions of the organizations they lead’, while only 60% say CEOs should take a stand...
-
The future of brand authenticity — leadership, inclusivity and activism
August 2, 2021
Nicole Harris, research manager, TRUE Global Intelligence After the hot mess that was 2020, it’s no surprise that social responsibility is now a more important aspect of brand identity than ever before. In fact, a business’s impact on societal outcomes now accounts for almost one-third of informed consumers’ expectations, according to FleishmanHillard’s latest Authenticity Gap study. But while 64% of informed consumers internationally – and 61% of Brits – say that a company must talk...
-
What does it mean to adopt an authentic approach to measuring PR and communications?
July 1, 2021
By Ben Levine, Director & Partner, TRUE Global Intelligence, FleishmanHillard UK Last month, we launched our latest edition of FleishmanHillard’s Authenticity Gap research and insights. The Authenticity Gap surveyed more than 10,000 informed consumers across five markets, polling their expectations and experiences of 200+ companies across 20 industries. This authenticity research provides unique insights into the emerging opportunities and threats facing some of the world’s most well-known companies and brands – and, crucially, what consumers expect...
-
Crisis Management: What to do when you know it’s going to be bad news
June 25, 2021
Hannah Cambridge, Director I hate to admit it, but comms alone can’t fix a really bad business issue. You’ll know the kind - when it would be fair for a regulator to come down hard, when you’re completely going against the popular opinion or when you were just in the wrong. We help our clients to navigate all types of issues. Our latest Authenticity Gap research for 2021 placed data security and data privacy as...
-
Does your brand have an authenticity problem?
June 17, 2021
Stephanie Bailey, Senior Partner, Managing Director, Corporate and Head of FleishmanHillard COP26 Unit Does your brand have an authenticity problem? If what a brand does is different from what a brand says, then yes. You have what we call an authenticity gap. If, say, you are the CEO of a disruptive craft beer brand then what you say versus what you do really matters, particularly if your narrative is a core part of what distinguishes...
-
The Nine Drivers of Authenticity
June 9, 2021
Does your brand have an authenticity problem? In 2021, it’s not just about what you sell, but how your brand and your leaders engage with society. Our authenticity research shows about half (49%) of UK consumer perceptions and beliefs about a company are shaped by attributes related to a company’s ‘customer benefits’ i.e. the products it offers and services it provides. The other half of consumer perceptions are shaped by a company’s impact on society...
-
The Authenticity Gap: FleishmanHillard release global authenticity research
June 9, 2021
At its heart, authenticity is the fundamental alignment of who you claim to be and who you really are. If the two are at odds, no matter who you are, people will be let down or dissatisfied, and you won’t meet expectations. At FleishmanHillard, we call this the ‘Authenticity Gap’ and we’ve been measuring it since 2012, using the Nine Drivers of Authenticity that shape consumer perceptions and beliefs. Our rich research data allows companies...
-
What can brands learn from H&M’s eco-fashion fallout?
November 1, 2019
This week H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson drew widespread reaction and criticism when he spoke with Bloomberg warning of the rise of "consumer shaming" to thwart climate change and said these ‘stop consuming, stop buying movements are a threat to the fashion industry and will have “terrible social consequences” - in reference to the widespread global protest action and socio commentary from the likes of Extinction Rebellion and Greta Thunberg. The thought behind Mr Persson’s comments...
-
Leading With Impact: FleishmanHillard Fishburn launches 2019 Authenticity Gap Report
July 17, 2019
Consumer expectations are higher than ever, and in an age of greater transparency and oversight, companies can no longer say one thing and do another. We expect organisations to be authentic and to have a point of view on the relevant topics that matter most and back up their words with action. If they fail to do so, trust will quickly erode and customers will move elsewhere. Campaigns such as Extinction Rebellion have driven climate change even higher up the global agenda, while issues...