Digital Digest: Six Views of Trust

Digital Digest: What Edelman Canada is reading in digital marketing, technology and strategy. Fresh links served up Fridays.

Yesterday, Edelman’s global CEO flew to Toronto to present the Trust Barometer, our 12th annual survey of global trust in institutions and the people who run them. The Canadian data is remarkable: while trust in government and business remained stable, there has been a reshuffling of the relative importance of different spokesperson roles. CEOs and government officials are now some of the least trusted spokespeople in Canada.

Canada is “one of few countries we surveyed where CEO trust is the lowest,” among a list of spokespeople, Richard Edelman told the Financial Post (see third item). “That’s a warning sign for business.” So do Canadians believe their leadership is failing them? No, but we are seeing a broadening of who we trust. This “big tent” approach – for example, regular employees are credible sources of information about a company – is part of the ongoing shift of authority away from traditional gatekeepers of information.

Today, organizations can earn a competitive advantage by unleashing their employees to communicate with stakeholders at all levels through digital media like blogs and Twitter. That’s why this week’s edition of Edelman Canada’s Digital Digest presents six views on how business and media can take a leadership role in the future.

- Matthew Hayles, Editor

Trust from 30,000 Feet

The Economist analyzes Trust findings across the Globe, providing a sense of where Canada breaks the trend. Following a year of turmoil in Europe, the Middle East and America, the world’s leaders “have been forced to consider what the world thinks of them.”

The Economist: Davos Man needs his image polished

John Clinton: The Licence  to Lead

Growing mistrust of government and CEOs creates an opportunity for the business sector to take a leadership position in Canada, argues Edelman Canada’s CEO John Clinton. But if business wants to earn the Licence to Lead, they must be transparent about their business practices and engage across many different kinds of media.

Edelman Canada Blog: Introducing Edelman Trust Barometer Canadian Findings

Canadians distrustful of energy sector

In this interview with Richard Edelman, the Financial Post delves into Canadian’s low faith in the energy sector, despite efforts by oil and gas companies to “position themselves as responsible and the development of Alberta’s Oil Sands as ethical.”

Financial Post: Canadians distrustful of CEOs, energy sector

David Armano: Why your employees are your best social media spokespeople

There are “signs of hope when it comes to empowered individuals,” argues Edelman Digital EVP David Armano on his blog. With trust in CEOs down and faith in the average employee up, organizations “where employees themselves are trusted to behave responsibly and are active in public spaces” can thrive.

Logic+Emotion: Trust Shifts From Institutions To Individuals

Dave Fleet: 4 Implications for Social Media

Edelman Digital Canada VP Dave Fleet shows how communicators and marketers are taking advantage of new tools to engage their audiences through traditional and hybrid media, social networks and their owned properties.

davefleet.com: 4 Implications for Social Media

Brian Reich: Trust in media

In Canada and across the world trust in media largely improved or held steady. Edelman SVP Brian Reich looks at five ways that new media companies and storied institutions like the New York Times are adapting.

Edelman Trust: Trust in Media

Edelman Canada’s Digital Digest is a weekly bundle of links, served up on Edelman Canada’s Our Ideas blog on Fridays. It’s also available by email. If you know someone who would like to be added to the mailing list, have any questions or just want to share some thoughts on anything you read here, email me. Let’s get a conversation going.

Digital Digest is edited by Matthew Hayles.