• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Main Navigation
  • Skip to Information Links
  • Skip to Site Search
  • Skip to Footer
  • Skip to Accessibility Information
  • Home Page

Information Links

Haymarket Marketing Communications:

  • PRWeek
  • Campaign US
  • MM+M
  • 30-Day Trial
  • Register
  • Sign in
  • Search
  • Menu
  • US|
  • UK|
  • Middle East|
  • Asia

PR Week Global

  • Menu
  • Search

Main Navigation

Menu

Main Navigation

  • US|
  • UK|
  • Middle East|
  • Asia
  • News
      News
    • Agency
    • Breakfast Briefing
    • Consumer
    • Corporate
    • Healthcare
    • Media
    • Public Affairs
    • Technology
    Show
  • In-depth
      In-depth
    • Agency Business Report
    • Power List
    • Crisis Corner
    • Newsmakers
    • Women of Distinction
    • Bellwether Survey 2022
    • Hall of Fame
    • 40 Under 40
    • Salary Survey
    • Health Influencer 30
    • Best Places to Work
    • Career Guide
    Show
  • People in PR
      People in PR
    • Hall of Fame archive
    • Opinion
    • Newsmakers
    • Steve Barrett on PR
    • Don Spetner
    • Dashboard 25
    • Around the office
    • Pride in PR
    • CEO Focus
    • CMO Focus
    • Femme Forward
    • Pets in PR
    Show
  • Resources
      Resources
    • Ebooks
    • Digital Editions
    • Agency Business Report
    • Salary Survey
    • Campaign Case Studies
    • Bellwether Survey 2022
    • Cannes 2022
    • Dashboard
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Places to Be 2022
    • Contact Directory
    • Jobs
    • Renew
    • Subscribe
    Show
  • Events
      Events
    • Crisis Comms Conference
    • PRWeek US Awards
    • PRWeek 40 Under 40
    • Women of Distinction
    • PRDecoded
    • PRWeek Global Awards
    • PRWeek Purpose Awards
    • Healthcare Conference + Awards
    • Hall of Fame
    • Brand Entertainment Awards
    • Webinars
    Show
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • Agency
  • Breakfast Briefing
  • Consumer
  • Corporate
  • Healthcare
  • Media
  • Public Affairs
  • Technology

  • Trending :
  • Crisis Comms Conference
  • Best Places to Work
  • PRWeek Awards
  • Healthcare Conference + Awards
  • Women of Distinction

Partner content

In partnership with

FleishmanHillard

10 things we learnt from the 2021 Authenticity Gap study

Knowing the right issue to champion and the right words to say is more complex than ever. PRWeek shares key takeaways from FleishmanHillard’s 2021 report, The Power of Authenticity.

by Jennifer Jackson July 27, 2021

  • Share article on Twitter
  • Share article on Facebook
  • Share article on LinkedIn

Do you know what really matters to the audiences you care about? Are you in tune with what they feel, experience and believe? FleishmanHillard’s 2021 global report, The Power of Authenticity, reveals that many brands and companies are facing an authenticity problem, whereby who they claim to be often jars with who they really are.

The research, which involved a 25-minute survey with 10,000 informed consumers in five markets, about more than 200 companies across 20 sectors, measures the gap between consumer expectations and their actual experiences of a company or brand. It uses the Nine Drivers of Authenticity that shape consumer perceptions and beliefs, as pictured below.

How to measure authenticity? FleishmanHillard’s Nine Drivers help frame consumer perceptions and beliefs.


Steph Bailey, senior partner and managing director, corporate strategy at FleishmanHillard UK, comments: “In 2021, the interesting thing within the nine drivers is that we’re seeing an increase in societal impact. A brand is not just about the product it sells or the services it offers. In order to get true reputational benefits, a brand has to look at the whole story and use this to drive authentic communications.”

Jennifer Jackson, senior content editor at PRWeek, shares her top 10 takeaways from this year’s report:

1. Having an approach to climate change and DE&I is no longer a differentiator, it is expected.

Consumer expectations for companies to step up on the core issues of the climate emergency and DE&I are higher than they have ever been. Simply having a policy in place, or a point of view, is no longer enough to keep you competitive, you have to go beyond that and think creatively about how you can address the broader societal issues.

2. There are actions you can take right now that will make a difference.

Those surveyed gave their thoughts on what brands can do to take the right steps towards DE&I:

  • Have a clear strategy regarding the company’s aims and goals around diversity, equity and inclusion.
  • Provide training and further education for all staff on unconscious biases and best practice DE&I techniques.
  • Ensure minority voices are heard and acknowledged in the decision-making process.

3. Our priorities have shifted and society matters.

The pandemic has shaken us to the core and for many this has made us re-evaluate our priorities, particularly when it comes to how we view businesses and brands. 64% of consumers believe that for a company to be more credible than its competitors it must talk about its behaviours and impact on society and the environment, not just the customer benefits it offers.

4. CEOs must think beyond their pet projects to gain true impact.

Consumers demand authentic leadership and so vanity projects will be seen as just that - vanity. Instead, the trick is to comment on societal issues but make it relevant to your CEO as well as authentic to your brand. 65% say CEOs must speak up on issues that ‘may not have a significant impact on the business but have a significant impact on society.’ That means not just jumping on the bandwagon of any breaking story but ensuring that it is part of a well-considered business plan that is communicated both internally and externally.

5. A company’s story has to be more than just about the product it makes or the services it offers.

It is no longer seen as exceptional for companies and brands to talk beyond what they make and do, it is expected. The pandemic put this into sharp focus as pharma companies stepped up to pool their resources into vaccine development and tech companies used their data in the fight to track and trace the virus. Of course, it only rings true if it is genuinely for the greater good. No spin please.

6. Despite expectations, there are very few companies really stepping up.

Whether it is a nervousness about getting this wrong or whether it is an inability to know where to start, very few companies are actually nailing brand authenticity right now. Indeed, across all markets and industries, brands are falling short on expectations on four of the nine drivers, most significantly on delivering better value and caring for the environment.

7. Activism isn’t the preserve of the young.

In the 65+ age group this expectation for companies to take a stand on issues also exists. That’s important for brands to note as they can achieve greater brand loyalty beyond the obvious age groups. In fact, 50% of that age group surveyed felt that protecting the environment was important, compared to 45% of those 18-24-year olds.

8. People care deeply about what you do with their data.

With great power comes even greater responsibility, and for the third year running data security and privacy top the issues that those surveyed feel companies should have a point of view on. As we sit hour by hour in front of our computer screens, sharing our thoughts and data with the online world, is it any wonder that we want to ensure that we’re protected and secure?

9. A broad-brush approach to markets won’t work.

What issues matter and whether to stand up on these issues varies market by market. Of course it does. So having a homogenous plan won’t work. The authenticity research showed us that each of the markets was looking at things very differently despite all dealing with COVID last year. That said, there are some issues that are important, irrespective of the market, and unsurprisingly, these were public health, the environment and DE&I.

10. It is not easy to get communications right.

But just jumping onto an issue because it is the topic of the day or because your team cares about it is still something that can cause more problems than it solves. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respond to issues, to be an authentic business it needs to be based on more than simply gut feel if it is to avoid anything going spectacularly wrong.



The research allows companies to judge how authentic they are, where they fall short and how they compare with their sector peers. If you are interested in exploring the full report click here to download it for free.


Download FleishmanHillard’s Authenticity Gap: Global Report 2021.


More...

  • The next normal: How can healthcare and pharma comms professionals improve relations with the public in a post-Covid-19 world?

  • Why banks don't need love for loyalty

  • 2018 Global Comms Report: Challenges and Trends

Have you registered with us yet?

Register now to enjoy more articles and free email bulletins

Register
Already registered?
Sign in

Resources

  • The Future of Work

  • Dashboard 25

  • Crisis Comms Conference

  • Best Places to Work

  • PRWeek Awards US

  • Hall of Fame

  • Women of Distinction

  • Salary Survey

  • Health Influencer 30

  • Healthcare Conference + Awards

  • Purpose Awards

  • PRDecoded

  • Bellwether Survey

  • Changemakers

  • 40 Under 40

  • The Power List

  • Pride in PR

  • Brand Film Awards

  • Agency Business Report

  • Webinars

  • Find a Job

  • Podcasts

  • Subscribe to PRWeek

Resources

Up next:

Roy will take over Lambert's public affairs practice.

Lambert Global acquires Roy Public Affairs Management

More than 500 apply to win wedding at an Aldi store

More than 500 apply to win wedding at an Aldi store

Protesters marched in Memphis on Saturday. (Photo credit: Getty Images).

Social justice, legal organizations react to Tyre Nichols video footage

The public perceptions of Moderna and Pfizer worsened last year. (Photo credit: Getty Images).

Pharma reputation drops to pre-pandemic normal, with Pfizer and Moderna falling in the ranks

L-R: Playe cofounders Rob Older, Jonas Espvall and Mitch Brown

Haymarket Ventures makes strategic investment in content platform Playe

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

IBN builds out PR services

Half of nurses are considering leaving the profession.

ConnectRN tells nurses ‘don’t quit’

Scarinzi takes over a team of 23 in the U.S.

Ruder Finn names Chip Scarinzi U.S. head of technology and innovation

Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning

Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning

Practice lead Jennifer Hawkins is working on the account.

World’s 50 Best Restaurants expands to US market with Finn Partners


JOIN, SHARE, LIKE, FOLLOW US ON:

  • f
  • t
  • I
  • l
  • yt
About PRWeek
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Advertise
Subscribe
  • Subscribe to PRWeek
  • Newsletters
  • FAQ
Global
  • PRWeek UK
  • Campaign Asia
Haymarket © Haymarket Media Group Ltd. | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Notice | Privacy Notice | Cookie Settings
IPSO