78% of Consumers Demand Trust in 2025

A staggering 78% of consumers report that a brand’s reputation influences their purchasing decisions more than advertising, according to a 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report. This statistic shows the immense power of public relations in shaping consumer PR and maintaining a strong brand image, especially when navigated through significant organizational shifts like executive changes. For consumer-facing brands, PR isn’t merely about managing crises. It’s about proactively cultivating perception and trust, a process that becomes acutely critical during leadership transitions.

78% of Consumers Prioritize Reputation Over Advertising

The Edelman Trust Barometer’s finding that 78% of consumers base purchasing decisions on reputation is a stark reminder for every consumer-facing brand. This isn’t a marginal preference. It’s a dominant factor. What this means for PR professionals is a shift from reactive damage control to proactive reputation building. Consider the implications for a brand introducing a new CEO. If that new leader is perceived negatively, or even just as an unknown quantity, the impact on sales can be direct and immediate. Our campaigns consistently show that brands with strong, positive consumer PR foundations can weather minor product missteps far better than those relying solely on ad spend. Advertising can tell a story, but reputation makes it believable.

I’ve seen firsthand how a well-executed PR strategy can insulate a brand. A regional organic grocery chain, facing stiff competition from larger national players, recently brought on a new CEO known for her aggressive expansion tactics. Internally, there was concern this image might clash with the brand’s established “community-first” ethos. Our strategy focused on humanizing her through local media placements and community event participation, highlighting her personal commitment to sustainable sourcing. This wasn’t about glossing over her business acumen, but about framing it within the brand’s values. The result? Customer loyalty remained steady, even increasing in key demographics, proving that authenticity in leadership communication resonates deeply.

Leadership Changes Can Trigger a 15% Drop in Consumer Trust

A recent report by NielsenIQ, specifically their 2025 “Consumer Confidence Index,” indicated that significant executive changes, particularly at the CEO level, can correlate with an average 15% decrease in consumer trust within the first six months if not managed strategically. This isn’t just about optics. It’s about the perceived stability and future direction of a brand. Consumers, especially those loyal to a particular brand, often view leadership as the embodiment of its values and future. A new face can introduce uncertainty, which in turn erodes trust.

From a PR perspective, this 15% dip isn’t an inevitability. It’s a challenge to be met with a strong communication plan. The key lies in transparency and continuity. When a new leader steps in, the messaging shouldn’t just announce the change, but explain the ‘why’ behind it and articulate how the brand’s core mission will continue, or even be strengthened. We advise clients to develop a complete communication playbook for executive transitions that includes internal memos, external press releases, stakeholder briefings, and direct messages from the new leader. This playbook should detail messaging for various scenarios, ensuring consistency across all channels. Without this, the vacuum of information is quickly filled by speculation, which almost always leans negative.

Brands Investing in Executive Profiling See 20% Higher Brand Affinity

Data from a 2024 HubSpot research initiative on brand perception revealed that brands actively investing in the public profiling and thought leadership of their executives experienced a 20% higher brand affinity among their consumer base, especially during periods of strategic shifts. This finding emphasizes that leadership visibility isn’t merely a vanity project. It’s a strategic asset for consumer PR. When consumers can connect a brand with a human face, and that face consistently articulates the brand’s vision and values, it builds a stronger emotional bond.

This goes beyond simple headshots in a press release. Effective executive profiling involves strategically placing leaders in relevant industry discussions, securing speaking engagements at conferences like Adweek or CES, and developing compelling content pieces under their byline. For a consumer-facing brand, this might mean a CEO publishing an op-ed about sustainable sourcing in a major publication or participating in a podcast discussing consumer trends. The goal is to establish them as authoritative, relatable, and aligned with the brand’s purpose. This kind of consistent, value-driven visibility acts as a powerful counter-narrative to potential anxieties surrounding leadership changes, transforming a perceived risk into an opportunity for reinforcement of brand values.

Social Listening Provides Early Warning for 90% of Reputational Threats

A recent analysis by IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) on digital brand safety, published on iab.com/insights, concluded that strong social listening strategies can identify approximately 90% of emerging reputational threats for consumer brands within the first 24 hours of their appearance online. This is particularly important in the context of executive changes, where public sentiment can shift rapidly and unexpectedly. The speed at which information (and misinformation) spreads across social platforms demands a proactive, always-on monitoring approach.

I cannot stress enough the importance of real-time social listening. It’s not enough to set up basic keyword alerts. A sophisticated social listening platform, configured with nuanced search terms, sentiment analysis, and geographic filters, is essential. For instance, when a new executive is announced, we immediately implement a dedicated monitoring stream for their name, their previous company, and any specific initiatives they’ve been associated with. This allows us to catch early murmurs of concern, identify potential misinterpretations of their past actions, or even spot coordinated smear campaigns before they gain significant traction. Addressing negative sentiment early, often with direct, transparent communication, can prevent a minor issue from escalating into a full-blown crisis that impacts consumer trust and brand image.

Where Conventional Wisdom Misses the Mark: The “Quiet Transition” Myth

Conventional wisdom often suggests that for executive changes, especially those perceived as potentially controversial or disruptive, a “quiet transition” is best. The idea is to minimize fanfare, make the announcement, and let the new leader settle in without drawing too much attention. This, in my professional opinion, is a fundamental miscalculation for consumer-facing brands. The data points we’ve discussed, the primacy of reputation, the drop in trust during unmanaged transitions, the boost from executive visibility, all argue against this approach.

A quiet transition creates a void. In the absence of clear, proactive communication from the brand, consumers, media, and even employees will fill that void with their own narratives, which are often based on speculation, rumor, or past experiences with other brands. This lack of control over the narrative can be far more damaging than a transparent, even if challenging, announcement. Instead, brands should embrace the transition as an opportunity to reinforce their values, introduce their new leader with purpose, and articulate a clear vision for the future. It’s about owning the story from day one, not hoping it tells itself favorably. Silence, in PR, is rarely golden. It’s usually just an invitation for others to speak on your behalf, often inaccurately.

Consider the contrast: one brand announces a new CEO with a brief press release, hoping it flies under the radar. Another brand launches a multi-channel campaign featuring interviews with the new CEO, an open letter to customers, and a town hall meeting (virtual or in-person) for employees. Which brand do you think will experience less churn in customer loyalty? Which will maintain a stronger, more consistent brand image? The answer is unequivocally the latter. Proactive engagement, even if it means addressing tough questions head-on, builds far more trust than strategic silence ever could.

Effective consumer PR during periods of executive changes is not a luxury. It’s a strategic imperative for safeguarding and enhancing brand image. By understanding consumer perceptions, proactively profiling leadership, and using real-time insights from social listening, brands can transform potential vulnerabilities into opportunities for stronger connections and sustained loyalty. The future of your brand’s reputation hinges on how well you communicate leadership transitions. For situations involving a potential brand crisis, proactive communication is even more important.