Changes in the perception of reality caused by the pandemic and the socio-economic crisis have a decisive impact on The relationship that companies and organizations maintain with their audience of reference. And theIn particular, knowledgeable consumers show it The credibility gap with companies is created by analyzing the relationship and interest they provide to their customers and by looking at their social impact.
This is reflected in the Power of Authenticity report, which reflects OmnicomPRGroup’s more than ten years of experience exploring the alignment between consumers’ expectations and experiences of brands.
As shown OmnicomPRGroupThis year, the authenticity gap was measured in Spain and Portugal for the first time, by delving into the opinion of 1,000 informed consumers in 10 main business sectors.
Along these lines, Higuino Martínez, CEO of OmnicomPRGroup asserts, “The authenticity gap is an active listening tool that allows companies and organizations to be part of the lives of their audience. Knowing the value of community is a starting point for thinking about the entire business strategy that materializes through the points of contact with each of her audience.”
He added that “a new strategy finds in communication the engine to better respond to this scrutiny by social actors, which works today as an engine of reputation.”
Returning to the study, this is done by analyzing the nine factors that shape consumer perceptions and beliefs: Added value, customer service, innovation, employees, social impact, environmental care, ethical management, sustainable results, and reliable communication.
Environmental aspects, fair distribution of business profits, working conditions and salaries in certain sectors or the importance of the relationship with the communities in which they operate determine to a greater or lesser extent the gaps that exist in different business sectors.
[El poder adquisitivo de los trabajadores españoles se desploma en 2022 y encadena ya tres años de caídas]
Thus, the report indicates that Medium and long term analysis of these risks is a key vector of reputation, as it can not only improve business strategies, Instead, it allows an analysis of how the company communicates in each area to help reduce the various authenticity gaps that have been identified.
The pandemic has had an accelerating effect on the demand for brands and how they position themselves in front of their audiences. As detailed in the report, if before the pandemic the weight of authenticity was based on their behavior and impact on society, Now, informed consumers place customer service and perception of the benefits of the goods or services offered as a weighting parameter, leaving social impact and business management in the background.
Thus, we see that informed consumers believe that companies must demonstrate that they implement consumer protection practices, while being culturally aware of the realities in which they operate and listening to the needs and desires of all their customers. Businesses and organizations that want to be authentic must commit to change, even before consumers believe their promises, and demonstrate their contribution to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Professionals, sustainability and innovation
Informed consumers analyzed in the study conducted by OmnicomPRGroup confirm that the gap is minimal when it comes to measuring business conduct, ethical and responsible behavior, or having a stable financial and operational framework, and these are aspects that show convergence between expectations and consumer experience.
On the other hand, consumers continue to demand personalized and individualized strategies, stories and messages to prove their true contribution to the well-being and development of society. In this sense, and unlike other years, the 2022 report places business professionals as the first reference audience for any business strategy, because it considers them to be one of the pillars for achieving business results.
sustainability
for his part, Sustainability is still a very internal aspect of society Thus, where there is a slight gap or distance with consumers who demand greater commitment, clarity, and more ambitious policies from companies.
In addition, Consumers demand that companies continue to open channels of communication and direct interest in their audiences, rethink the services provided to reduce the gap in interest and customer service and turn the effort into new growth opportunities. Deriving from this gap lies innovation, an area in which, despite concentrating a large part of the human and material efforts of the company, consumers identify an important gap in which it has not been filled in recent years.
From a strategic point of view, in 2022 de la Brecha shows that the vision and involvement of senior management of a company or organization has proven itself, and consumers are reporting that business leaders are taking sides and positioning themselves on issues affecting society.
Follow the topics that interest you
“Creator. Devoted pop culture specialist. Certified web fanatic. Unapologetic coffee lover.”