Do consumers have trust issues?

Hearing all the discussion of the Government’s recent advice to keep a radio handy in times of emergency, I got to thinking about how much trust we place in radio and audio. Amongst all the chatter about what to stock up on and how many tins of beans is too many, what stood out for me loud and clear, was the obvious and deserved trust we all place in radio in times of crisis.

It doesn’t surprise me that sales of portable radios are up as a result. We all know we can rely on radio when it matters most. From local bad-weather school closures to fundraising following disaster, or health messages during international pandemics, we all trust radio to keep us informed, keep us connected, to help keep us safe.

Audiences know they can trust the messages they hear from our advertisers. They know their trust (and their money) will be a good investment. And we know advertisers benefit from that trust.

In fact, in a recent episode of Advertising Amplified recorded live at Radiocentre’s Tuning In, Andrew Tindall, Chief Growth Officer at System1, explains how and why using audio to build trust can deliver a powerful competitive advantage. Is it any wonder then why we here at Radiocentre place such a high value on our listeners’ trust?

But not all platforms are equal when it comes down to how much faith consumers can put in the ad messages they’re served. Don’t just take my word for it. Ofcom’s call to tackle online scam ads emphasises the importance of truthful, honest, responsible advertising.

Consumers should be able to trust the advertising they see or hear online. That’s why our member services pre-clear their ads and why we on the Radiocentre Clearance team ensure ads meet the very highest standards by being legal, decent, honest and truthful (the fundamental principles that we and the Advertising Standards Authority abide by).

How can we make sure we maintain that trust? What is it about radio that’s so unique?