Trust Isn’t Forever: Why Brands Have to Keep Proving It 

Trust in brands has always been pivotal but the brands being chosen by Gen Z don’t just reflect their beliefs. They’re having an impact on the buying habits of every generation. Trust isn’t sitting neatly inside one demographic or moment in time. It’s spreading, it’s evolving, and it’s shaping what people let into their lives.

Trust is no longer something you earn once and keep. Consumer decisions don’t end at purchase, buying is only the beginning. From then on, every action a brand makes is another test of common connection. In this endless cycle, trust is both the most valuable and the most fragile asset a brand can carry.

A new reality

We often speak about how a customer sees the ad, weighs up the options, makes the purchase, and job done, becomes “loyal” as long as you keep delivering the same product.

That model no longer holds up. Edelman’s 2023 Collapse of the Purchase Funnel report shows 78% of people say they uncover what really drives their loyalty only after they’ve bought.

Did the order arrive as promised? What’s their environmental stance? Does their advertising show diversity? Are they sharing vulnerabilities that match the customer’s own?

Brands are being cross-examined, and it’s in these moments that loyalty is tested, and only then do they have a shot at earning trust.

The question of trust

Once, a consistent product was enough to gain loyalty. Now, every interaction reopens the question of trust: packaging, service, digital behaviour, data practices, even a brand’s stance on social issues. Each touchpoint carries the same unspoken question: Can I still believe in you?

Trust now matters as much as price and quality. Apple has made privacy a central promise, reinforcing it with every update and turning consistency into confidence. Meta feels like the opposite. People stay for the product, but they stop believing in the brand.

In this cycle, trust isn’t a campaign or a message. It’s a living system, tested every day.

The fragility of trust

Trust can vanish overnight, but the cracks usually start in familiar places.

Sometimes it’s because a brand says one thing and does another. Despite penalties and enforcement, greenwashing is still common. Sectors boast of “sustainable” activity while still leaning on wasteful practices. Customers see right through this, and what was supposed to build trust simply serves to increase mistrust.

In other cases, data is crucial. Customers expect transparency on the use and security of their personal information. The 2022 Optus hack not only compromised data, but it also reduced consumer faith in the business, and it served as a reminder that convenience comes at a hidden cost.

And just as often, the damage comes from silence. In cultural moments, staying quiet is no longer neutral. Choosing sides is complex, but authenticity requires risk, and trust is built on visible conviction.

The new rules

If trust is fragile and always under pressure, brands can’t just talk a good game. They need rules that hold up when it counts.

Transparency. Every claim should be backed by proof. Certifications, a clear supply chain, visible actions. Evidence turns promises into belief.

Consistency. People want the story to match reality. What they hear in ads, what they experience in the product, and how they’re treated afterwards. Patagonia’s lifetime guarantee is a perfect example.

Empathy. In uncertain times, customers need stability, safety, and relevance. Brands that recognise those needs earn a deeper place in people’s lives.

Responsiveness. Mistakes can be forgiven but silence rarely is. Acting quickly and visibly, especially in tough moments, shows conviction and reassures people that their trust isn’t being taken for granted.

Trust isn’t something a brand can win once and then lock away for good. It’s fragile, conditional, and tested every single time someone interacts with you. From Gen Z’s shifting choices to the high expectations of older generations, people’s belief in a brand is always moving.

The real challenge isn’t just earning trust. It’s keeping it. The brands that stand out will be the ones ready to show up, take the test, and pass it day after day.