How to Build Trust and Strengthen Brand Reputation: A Guide for PR

In an era when consumers have more information at their fingertips than ever before, brand trust is one of the most valuable currencies a business can hold. From data privacy breaches and performative corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns to accusations of “fake news,” skepticism runs high. For PR professionals, that makes the work of forging authentic, transparent relationships with stakeholders both more challenging and more critical than ever. 

In fact, in a recent Cision survey, 1 in 4 senior-level PR professionals cited misinformation and disinformation risks to brand reputation as a top three challenge for their team right now.

Why Trust Is Non-Negotiable

According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust plays a critical factor in consumer purchase decisions, outranking both convenience and brand love. Without trust, even the most innovative product or boldest PR campaign falls flat. Trust has a direct impact on brand reputation, consumer loyalty, and long-term business growth, making it a central priority for PR and corporate communications teams, who are held accountable for these outcomes. 

How PR Teams Can Ensure Transparency in Messaging

Transparency is the foundation of trust, requiring brands to make deliberate choices about how they communicate:

• Align words with deeds: Messaging should always reflect real company practices. Brands that overpromise without evidence quickly lose credibility. For instance, IKEA pairs its sustainability messaging with concrete actions such as publishing annual People & Planet reports that detail progress toward renewable energy goals and sustainable sourcing. By sharing not only successes but also challenges, companies demonstrate that their promises are grounded in measurable action.
• Acknowledge mistakes openly: No brand is immune to missteps, but those that admit fault can often strengthen relationships instead of damaging them. Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol crisis in 1982 remains one of the most cited examples: the company immediately recalled products, communicated openly with the public, and redesigned packaging to prevent tampering. Another famous example is fast-food chain KFC, who turned a chicken shortage in the UK into a lesson in humility by publicly apologizing with a humorous ad campaign that rearranged its logo into “FCK.” Quick, candid acknowledgment shows stakeholders that honesty is valued over saving face.
• Use clear and consistent language: Trust thrives on clarity. If consumers can’t understand your messaging or find it to be inconsistent, they may question your brand’s credibility. For example, Southwest uses friendly, transparent, and straightforward communication (“Low fares. Nothing to hide. That’s transfarency.”) to keep consumers up to date on everything from pricing to policy changes, reinforcing its reputation as a trustworthy airline that treats customers honestly. In contrast, brands that use overly technical jargon may look as if they have something to hide, which can create confusion and skepticism with inconsistent messaging, and ultimately erode confidence in the brand.
• Disclose what matters: Consumers expect brands and their leadership to be honest about issues that affect them directly. For example, when beauty brands like Sephora are up front about sponsored influencer content, or when apparel companies like Everlane give customers visibility into their labor practices (details that were once hidden or hard to find), it not only helps brands avoid regulatory risk, it also demonstrates accountability for their actions.
• Be proactive: Instead of waiting for audiences to ask questions, share updates on progress and challenges up front. Microsoft, for instance, publishes an annual sustainability report with year-over-year metrics on carbon reduction and diversity hiring. Regular updates—even when results are mixed—show that the brand has nothing to hide.
• Leverage employee communications: A transparent brand voice starts internally. By keeping employees informed through regular updates, Q&As, and open channels for feedback, companies can ensure their external messaging stays consistent and credible. Teams that feel “in the know” are more likely to communicate authentically and reinforce trust with customers and stakeholders.

These strategies not only make messaging more transparent but also help brands build resilience that helps them bounce back and rebuild trust should a brand or PR crisis suddenly emerge.

Real-World Examples of Brands Consumers Trust (and Why)

The most trusted brands don’t just communicate well, they live their values. Here are a few standouts:

• Patagonia: Known for environmental activism and transparent supply chain practices, Patagonia employs programs like Worn Wear to fight climate change and showcase their values in action.
• Apple: Apple builds and maintains consumer trust through consistent emphasis on – and straightforward messaging around – privacy and product quality, which resonates with consumers concerned about digital privacy.
• Unilever (Dove, Ben & Jerry’s): By publishing sustainability reports and advocating for social issues, Unilever demonstrates accountability and alignment between brand purpose and consumer expectations.
• LEGO: Trusted for product safety and long-term consistency, LEGO uses programs like LEGO Ideas to give fans a voice in product development, reinforcing community trust.

These examples demonstrate that trust is not won through one campaign, but through a  pattern of transparent actions and communications over time.

The Role of Public Relations in Building Trust

At its core, public relations is about creating mutual understanding between organizations and their audiences. In the age of skepticism, that means PR’s role is particularly significant in these key areas:

• Shaping brand narratives: PR teams are the architects of how a brand is perceived. This means going beyond press releases and collaborating with various teams to weave a consistent brand story across earned, owned, paid, and shared media channels.
• Managing crises: Trust is tested most during a brand crisis. PR professionals play a central role in managing crisis communications, from crafting responses that are transparent, empathetic, and solutions-focused to ensuring communication channels remain open. 
• Facilitating stakeholder communication: PR ensures that stakeholders – from employees and investors to customers and the public – are kept informed of and engaged with brand updates that have an impact on them. That means facilitating regular, consistent, transparent, and proactive communication across multiple channels to reach a variety of audiences.
• Promoting thought leadership: PR plays a role in developing and promoting thought leadership content – such as bylined articles, interviews, speaking engagements, and commentary in reputable outlets – that positions company leaders as credible experts with valuable perspectives on industry trends and challenges.  Over time, this  display of expertise and authenticity strengthens brand credibility, making audiences more likely to view the organization as a reliable, trusted authority.

Tools and Tactics to Measure Brand Trust

Trust may be intangible, but it can and should be measured. PR teams can track brand trust through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods:

• Surveys & Feedback Tools: Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and trust-specific Likert-scale surveys help quantify consumer confidence.
• Brand Tracking & Sentiment Analysis: Media monitoring and social listening tools like CisionOne provide insight into audience sentiment shifts, share of voice against your competitors, and key themes in public conversations. 
• Web & Digital Analytics: Website engagement metrics (time on page, referral traffic, bounce rates) indicate whether trust-driven content resonates.
• Qualitative Research: Focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and open-ended surveys with customers and (or potential customers) can help uncover the “why” behind trust levels.

The key to measuring trust – and uncovering insights that lead to action – is consistency: measuring regularly, acting on findings, and closing the loop with stakeholders to show how their feedback is shaping the brand’s actions.

Final Thoughts

Trust is the most valuable currency a brand can have in the age of social media – and  the rapid rise of generative AI is only adding to its value. A holistic strategy of media monitoring, social listening, and data analysis is crucial to staying informed about shifts in public perception, enabling you to adapt strategies as needed. 

Staying ahead of the curve is essential to maintaining trust in the age of skepticism. By prioritizing transparency, learning from trusted brands, and leveraging the right measurement tools, PR teams can help their organizations build stronger, more resilient reputations in a world where skepticism is the norm.

Find out how CisionOne can deliver the insight you need to understand, build, and maintain brand trust right now and for long-term growth. Speak to one of our experts.