2026
9
Multicultural America: Brand Trust and Transparency: 2026
2026-06-19T14:03:34+00:00
REPD7B18788_8A5A_42F7_B187_888A5A32F7D2
3695
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Consumers today are operating in a complex information environment in which developments such as economic uncertainty, widespread access to digital content and rapid adoption of AI compound each other. These…
US
All Industries
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Multicultural America: Brand Trust and Transparency: 2026

"With so many information sources vying for consumers' attention, brands must tailor the heuristics and drivers of trust in their messaging, or risk becoming background static."

Hiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst

Hiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst

Consumers today are operating in a complex information environment in which developments such as economic uncertainty, widespread access to digital content and rapid adoption of AI compound each other. These circumstances combine with inflation and broader geopolitical pressures to dampen consumer sentiment and drive cautious, highly-researched, decision-making.

Information gathering is no longer limited to high-consideration purchases. Across categories, consumers now routinely compare price, quality and peer experiences, raising expectations for clarity and accessibility. This shift is most pronounced among younger, digitally-engaged consumers and those navigating life transitions, both of whom are more exposed to information and more motivated to reduce uncertainty.

At the same time, trust in information is fragmenting. Younger generations show greater confidence in navigating emerging information sources such as AI and social media, while older consumers report declining trust across platforms. This divide reflects not just differences in technology adoption, but differing levels of confidence in evaluating information.

For brands, this environment increases scrutiny while also creating opportunity. Consumers anchor trust in consistency and clear communication, but rely differently on trust signals – such as peer reviews and real-world use – to validate claims. As exposure to AI and digital content increases, brands that provide transparent, verifiable and contextually relevant information will earn long-term trust with consumers.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • The evolving information environment, including where economic uncertainty and rising digital exposure are increasing consumers’ reliance on research before purchases
  • How consumers research products and the types of information prioritized
  • Differences in research behavior by generation, life stage and digital engagement
  • The growing role of experiential validation, with first-hand experience and peer reviews becoming more influential as AI and sponsored content increase information ambiguity
  • Key drivers of consumer trust beyond price and quality, led by product/service consistency and clear communication
  • Consumer responses to AI-generated content, including how AI use can affect brand perception
  • How trust is formed on social media and the heuristics (ie rules of thumb, quick signals for decision-making) consumers rely on to determine trustworthiness

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for trust and consumer decision-making
    • Opportunities
    • Consumers’ trust signals change with experience and life stage
    • Structure information to match diverse trust frameworks
    • Elevate brand content from product information to societal positioning
  2. MARKET DRIVERS

    • Concerns on economic and geopolitical future are driving consumer exploration
    • Tariffs, conflict in the Middle East and fears of AI are creating employment anxiety in consumers
    • Graph 1: index of expected changes to employment, by age group, 2016-26
    • Consumers expect changes to purchases in the near future, presenting opportunities for value messaging
    • Graph 2: expected changes to purchases, by category, 2026
    • Consumers’ trust in information platforms continues to evolve, creating a chasm between generations
    • Graph 3: net change in trust – consumers’ self-reported change in trust in information sources compared to previous year, by generation, 2025
    • Information gathering through social media is normalized and diversified in younger generations
    • Graph 4: social media sites visited daily, by generation, 2026
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • The product research journey: what information consumers look for and how often
    • Top types of information sought
    • Help consumers compare products with clear pricing, quality and safety signals
    • Graph 5: type of information sought before making a purchase, 2026
    • Counter consumer skepticism with credible peer reviews and real-world product use
    • Graph 6: seeks information from “first-hand experience” before making a purchase, select demographics, 2026
    • Reach digitally-engaged consumers with transparent brand and business information
    • Graph 7: type of information sought before making a purchase, by select demographics and psychographics, 2026
    • Anticipate deeper research behavior by connected consumers
    • Gathering information has become easier than ever, raising consumer expectations for accessible and trustworthy product details
    • Graph 8: always/usually seek more information when purchasing a new product/brand, by category, 2026
    • Adapt product information strategies to changing generational research habits
    • Graph 9: always/usually seeks more information when purchasing new brands, select categories, by generation, 2026
    • Earn parents’ trust by simplifying high-stakes everyday purchase decisions
    • Graph 10: always/usually seeks more information when purchasing new brands/products, select categories, by parents and non-parents of consumers aged 25-55, 2026
    • Replace product claims with stage-based guidance to meet parents’ need for certainty
    • Reach high-information consumers through life stage and behavioral targeting
    • Graph 11: frequency of seeking more information when purchasing new brands, average across all categories, by select demographics and psychographics, 2026
    • Drivers of trust in consumer categories
    • Drivers of trust in brands, average over all categories
    • Consumers’ attention to product and service consistency grows amidst heightened expectations of economic uncertainty
    • Graph 12: product/service consistency as a driver of trust in brands, by category, 2026
    • Deliver clarity where product complexity and risk are highest
    • Graph 13: clear communication as a driver of trust in brands, by category, 2026
    • Provide structured, detailed information for consumers who are confident in their ability to validate claims
    • Graph 14: clear communication as a drivers of trust in brands, average across all consumer categories, by select demographics, 2026
    • Use responsible employment as a signal of alignment with consumers’ long-term interests
    • Graph 15: being a responsible employer as a driver of trust in brands, average over all categories, by select demographics, 2026
    • Position product innovation as tangible and competitive benefits to build trust
    • Graph 16: being the most innovative as a driver of trust in brands, by category, 2026
    • Align social positioning in identity-driven and experiential categories
    • Graph 17: stance on current events/social issues as a driver of trust in brands, by category, 2026
    • Social memory of ESG messaging differs by group – keep historical context in mind
    • Graph 18: drivers of trust in brands, average over all categories, by select demographics, 2026
    • Experiences and attitudes towards AI content
    • Balance AI adoption with transparency to protect brand perception
    • Graph 19: experiences with AI content in the last six months, 2026
    • As AI content proliferates, differences in consumer acceptance emerge between life stages
    • Trust in AI hinges on consumers’ comfort with technological change
    • Graph 20: opinion of brand changed due to their AI use, by race, ethnicity and generation, 2026
    • Engage consumers in transitional life stages by proving the value of AI in real decisions
    • Graph 21: opinion of brand changed because of their AI use, by major life milestones 2026
    • Reduce passive uncertainty by clearly signaling AI use – unaddressed AI ambiguity tends to skew negative
    • Graph 22: experience with AI content, by experience with AI content, 2026
    • Use of AI generated video in the 2026 Super Bowl sparks debate among consumers
    • Signals of trust on social media
    • Trust on social platforms is shaped by how consumers filter and interpret high-volume content
    • From social consensus to confirmation bias – how consumers judge trustworthiness in social media
    • Alignment with consumer expectations is the primary driver of trust on social media
    • Balance experience and social proof to build trust across age groups
    • Graph 23: social media trust signals head-to-head matchup pick rates, by generation, 2026
    • Appeals to popularity can foster both immediacy and mainstream aspirations
    • Social media trust signals: demographic differences and marketing examples
    • Two thirds of consumers depend on a single trust signal: understanding the gradient of consumer profiles across trust signals
    • Prioritize practicality and depth of information for consumers who rely on “Personal experience on topic”
    • Consumers who consistently choose “Who posted it” are relying on authority signals and values alignment
    • Choose messengers carefully as trust shifts toward alternative and opinion-led sources
    • Align with platform norms to earn trust among consumers who prefer to evaluate by “Where it is posted”
    • Dove’s r/eal Reviews campaign compiles unfiltered posts from Reddit
    • Millennials and dads look for “Number of likes,” which signifies faith in broad social consensus
    • Prediction markets – the breaking edge of the modern wave of information
  4. APPENDIX

    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • US generation groups
    • Daily social media site usage by consumers who prefer single trust signals
    • Graph 24: social media sites visited daily, by social media trust signal, 2026
    • Abbreviations and terms

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