Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

From United Airlines to Uber, we’ve seen a number of scandals unfold this year that have changed our feelings about a brand. And whatever size the business, its reputation and customers are key to its success.

Taking into account data from more than 23,000 small-business owners, Alignable revealed in its Q1 2017 SMB Brand Trust Index Report the most and least trusted brands. In the report, small-business owners were asked how likely they were to recommend a major brand to another business owner. Unsurprisingly, many of the brands we’ve seen in the news such as Uber, Wells Fargo and United Airlines had poor reputations among business owners.

However, people are very trusting toward tech companies such as Amazon, Wordpress and Google -- in fact, these brands have stayed in the top three positions for most trusted brands for two straight quarters. And whatever Amazon’s doing, it’s doing it right: The ecommerce giant has held first place for three consecutive quarters. For the first time ever, Apple and FedEx made their way to the the top five slots this quarter....

What needs and priorities define the contemporary American consumer? The Future Foundation took a look as at some key trends shaping modern life, and using its findings, selected four startups the research firm feels will appeal to these consumer needs and desires.

“They all skirt the boundary between the real world and virtual world in ways that suggest that very boundary is breaking down. They all help people take control of their lives and its objectives, and they all propel real trends. That’s why we’re watching them with keen interest,” said Meabh Quorin, managing director of the Future Foundation. “When a startup addresses actual changes in consumer behavior, it’s not just an innovation; it’s a solution.”...