Why is it so often that what we see and hear from brands, businesses and people jars with what we might feel, experience and believe? They have an authenticity problem, a ‘crisis gap’ if you will.
At FleishmanHillard, we have been studying authenticity for nearly a decade and over the years our research has consistently been ahead of its time – predicting emerging trends and issues with striking accuracy. But in 2021, it seems the world is affirming the power and critical importance of what it means to be truly authentic.
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 will fall short of expectations.
The global pandemic has disrupted and challenged every facet of our lives, and triggered a fundamental shift in how companies communicate, and how a brand campaigns and the issues it is expected to take a stand on. Questions of diversity, equity and inclusion – which at their core are
about who and what we value in our societies – have been brought into sharp focus and are quickly becoming a central driver of reputation
and future success.
But knowing the right time to stand up, the right issue to champion and the right words to say is more complex than ever – especially because many of the most complex issues are interconnected in their causes and their consequences.
With beliefs, views and facts increasingly polarized, organizations all around the world need genuine insight into how to authentically communicate, based on who they are, and what the world expects of them.
They need to be able to hear from people that are engaged with their sector. Understand how they fare against the competition. And know what really matters to the audiences they care about.
