Advertising executives are gaining trust in society, signalling it’s possible to “build back trust in marketing”, even in times of instability and division, according to a new research.

The report by Effie UK and Ipsos – ‘Healing the Divide: Finding the win-win in your marketing’ – highlights that while ad executives have consistently ranked low on the Ipsos Veracity Index of trusted professionals – only 16% of respondents say they “generally trust” ad execs – this marks a 2% increase from the year before.

Ad execs now place above government ministers, which dropped 6% to 10%, and politians generally on 9%. They are also the only profession to see any rise in trust.

The results align with findings from the Advertising Association, which show that, for the first time in a decade, advertising is no longer the UK’s least trusted industry.

According to the report, society has never been more divided, and brands can play a key role in shaping society and healing societal divisions. It details how instability, inflation, and Covid recovery have converged and caused “hard to resolve systemic challenges”.

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As a result, 47% of the UK and 49% of the US agree that ‘Within my lifetime, society in my country will break down’, according to Ipsos Global Trends 2024.

“Marketers can help drive further progress by taking more interest in and more responsibility for healing divisions,” says Rachel Emms, managing director of Effie UK.

“After all, it’s clear that brands have a remit for positive change and a critically important role to play. And, crucially, evidence shows that doing so can have a positive impact on business growth.”

Inclusion and diversity

Between 2020 and 2023, 57% of Britons agreed that brands should take a stand on inclusion and diversity issues.

While many brands have responded to social instability by making their marketing more representative and sustainable, the report warns that responsible marketing is now under threat from “weaponised division”.

Key setbacks include the World Federation of Advertisers’ decision to shut down the Global Alliance for Responsible Media after Elon Musk’s X filed an antitrust lawsuit, along with rollbacks on DEI efforts.

Despite these challenges, some progress has been made, particularly in featuring women and people of colour in primary roles in ads. However, significant gaps remain, especially in the representation of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and those over 65 in the advertising and media landscape.

Moreover, advertising that goes beyond representation into active inclusion (not only showing diverse characters but treating them with respect and nuance) has positive sales lift and equity share gain business effects, according to a meta-analysis of thousands of ads in the Ipsos Creative Spark ad testing database.

Ads featuring people of colour in the top third of Ipsos’ DEI Index saw a 10% boost in brand attention, a 54% increase in short-term sales lift, and a 44% rise in long-term equity compared to those that don’t. This suggests that inclusive representation in ads not only positively impacts immediate brand choice but also strengthens long-term brand building.

Boots has been spearheading work in inclusivity. The Boots No7 brand needed to reverse a decline in penetration and reconnect with its heartland audience of 45+ women. To do this, it listened to them to uncover the best way to deliver empathy and support.

It learned that the stereotypical portrayal of menopause left women feeling unlistened to, blindsided, and struggling to identify their seemingly unrelated symptoms.

It launched education, staff training and product solutions for every one of the 48 symptoms that women might face. As a result, the work created significant penetration gains among women aged over 45, with a 39% increase in sales of menopause items and a return on marketing investment of £3.35 for every £1 spent.

“It’s time to humanise and normalise tensions and politically sown divisions as it is in the best interest of the people we serve as citizens, consumers, stakeholders and ultimately shareholders,” adds Samira Brophy, senior director of creative excellence UK, Ipsos.