Marketers look to gain trust
It may take years before we truly understand the ramifications of what a series of lockdowns and social distancing efforts did to our psyche during the past 18 months (and counting). But there are efforts currently underway to explore those impacts. For example, a recent scientific study by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction and its Dogs on Call therapy dog program is exploring how animal therapy might help reduce loneliness and potentially influence positive health outcomes for hospital patients in aging adults.
The study is investigating how patients respond after interacting with the Dogs on Call human-canine teams, and will compare their response to patients interacting only with the handlers and those receiving standard treatment. One of the sponsors of the program is Mars Petcare, which continues to invest heavily in increasing the impact of companion animals on social isolation and loneliness.
UCLA Consumer Psychology and Consumer Market Research Professor Dr. Emmanuel Probst says that Mars’s research and accompanying actions exemplify how a brand can make a positive contribution to society. The efforts, which come across as authentic and human, also help drive sales for its products and services. “Brands can no longer lure consumers by remixing marketing platitudes. They are now expected to inform and educate the public and make a positive contribution to the world around them.”
“Most marketers are bubbled, whereby they live in big cities, read more, listen to more podcasts and are more educated than the consumers they target.”
— Dr. Emmanuel Probst, Professor of Consumer Psychology and Consumer Market Research, UCLA
Today more than ever, marketing is about compelling storytelling and then finding ways to amplify those stories. To gain trust, consumers must hear stories from sources of merit. Building this kind of trust is critical for wellness brands trying to connect with today’s ever-increasing health-minded consumer.
That’s what makes Mars Petcare’s involvement so vital. The brand has long believed that pets play an important role in addressing social isolation. Several years ago, it conducted a study in collaboration with Human-Animal Bond Research Institute which showed that 80% of US pet owners say their pet makes them feel less lonely, with nearly nine in 10 people saying that pets helped reduce feelings of loneliness. Mars Petcare also is actively involved in research efforts through its Summit on Social Isolation and Companion Animals working groups, which helps provide evidence-based guidelines for healthcare professionals relating to animal therapy programs.
“Most marketers are bubbled, whereby they live in big cities, read more, listen to more podcasts and are more educated than the consumers they target,” Probst says. “Too many brands these days shout their message at their audience, forcing their products down their consumers’ throats. Post-pandemic, it is time to take a step back and listen to consumers in order to understand what feels meaningful and purposeful to them. From there, marketers can build brands and products that will help consumers fulfill their quest for meaning.”
Into parts unknown
In a time when up is down, and vice-versa, health and wellness continue to be very personal, which Ankit Vahia, PhD, seems to believe is a little ironic given that nothing is more personal than one’s health. Vahia, Executive Strategy Director of the Pharma/Health and Wellness at Grey Group, believes there is a broadening in the wellness category that has been accelerated by COVID—a broadening that means people want and need to trust brands more than ever.
“People want control over understanding what is happening in their body (home testing market and wearables, for example) and are driven to stay younger, stronger and for longer,” Vahia says. “Challenges in meeting the needs of the diverse wellness population really range from the probability of authenticity, connection to communities and targeted fluidity. We see this with our clients in both the wellness and health space.”
If there’s one thing wellness brands have learned from the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccination drives is that consumers react to sources they have faith in—this applies equally to both pharma and wellness companies. Today, consumers are making choices based on the value of the product as well as where it is coming from, which at the end of the day, comes down to trust.
At the heart of building trust between a brand and its community is transparency. “It’s that simple,” Vahia says. “Let the people know the truth—good or bad—and it will help build a sense that there is nothing to hide. The biggest turn-off for consumers is when they feel like they are being duped or played. Second is a connection to a purpose—wellness brands must stand and act for something not connected to their brand.”
As simple as it sounds, the process all starts with having a strategy. No brand can just go out there and say, “Hey, look at us. We’re transparent and honest.” Vahia says the process starts by understanding the real problem you are trying to solve and the appropriate context within which you want to be transparent, honest and gain trust—and to do that. “Strategy is critical. Don’t be afraid to speak up and make your commitment known. It’s never too late. The thing about being transparent is that it isn’t a trend, but there is a time limit to it.”
“Don’t be afraid to speak up and make your commitment known. It’s never too late. The thing about being transparent is that it isn’t a trend, but there is a time limit to it.”
— Ankit Vahia, PhD, Executive Strategy Director of the Pharma/Health and Wellness at Grey Group
While aiming for trust and knowing when you have it are two very different things, Vahia says the process and outcome will become clear if you follow the plan. “There are a few ways to know when and if you have gained trust. On a very technical front, it is about tracking the online conversations and understanding the associations with the brands. The other will be in regard to the drivers of uptake associated with the brands. If brands listen to what their community is talking about, they will quickly learn how they are perceived; they will also learn how they will need to pivot.”
In a world of information—at times too much and way too inaccurate—how a brand steps into the light of getting the buy-in from its community remains one of the more critical components to success. As the pandemic continues to accelerate our digital transformation, the relationship between brand and consumer spans across many channels. That means your customer experience must be seamless and consistent, whichever story you are telling.