Given the digital media boom of the past decade, the results are surprising. TV and print continue to lose Ad share at the expense of digital, yet both traditional platforms maintain higher levels of trust compared to their online counterparts. Even direct mail and radio campaigns, the most antiquated of options, receive far greater consumer confidence (76 and 71 percent respectively) than mobile or banner ads (39 percent each).
Another interesting trend to pay attention to: below-average credibility for sponsored posts. We found that 54 percent of respondents have felt deceived by sponsored content in the past, and 43 percent lose trust in a publisher that features native advertising from an untrustworthy brand. But when reliable publishers feature content from trusted companies, consumer trust grows by 41 percent. The key is transparency through clear labeling and honest storytelling.
Transparency and honesty are key marks of trust for other ad formats as well. If old-school advertising tactics continue to fade, digital marketers have to find a way to increase trust before consumers tune them out for good
