Who’s Telling the Truth These Days? Not Politicians - Maybe Brands Are

In an age where politicians are no longer held to authority of their 'word', it’s no wonder the public is looking elsewhere for something real. And strangely, they’re finding it not in Westminster, Brussels, or Washington, but in the very boardrooms we used to blame for everything from climate change to cultural decay.

Let’s be clear: corporations aren’t saints. But in 2025, are they more honest than politicians?

Trust in politics is circling the drain

Start with the numbers. In the UK, the Edelman Trust Barometer shows public trust in government sits below 30%. That’s lower than Big Tech, banks, and - brace yourself - even the media. In the US, it's no better. The post-Trump, pre-Trump-again era has left the electorate battle-worn, jaded, and deeply suspicious of anything that smells like spin.

The EU, once a beacon of policy-driven calm, is also feeling the heat. Populist movements are gaining ground, and voter apathy is growing. Voters are tired of slogans that dissolve faster than a biscuit in tea. And don’t even get started on how the Middle East navigates political messaging - “authenticity” isn’t exactly the adjective of choice there either.

So if politics is floundering, who’s stepping in?

Enter the corporate world

Here’s the twist: while politicians waffle, brands are getting weirdly… real.

From Patagonia’s CEO literally giving away the company to protect the planet, to UK brands publicly confronting their own failings (M&S, Co-op, even Greggs have had moments), companies are making transparency their business strategy.

In the US, where political discourse is now one long flame war, brands are trying to cut through with brutal honesty. Think Dove’s body image campaigns or Ben & Jerry’s laser-sharp political commentary. Sure, not everyone likes it - but at least it feels like they mean it.

Gen Z, the most marketing-savvy generation in history, isn’t fooled by performative activism or greenwashed virtue-signalling. They want receipts. And increasingly, brands are giving them.

The marketer's advantage

Here's the kicker: marketers are trained in the art of perception. We track sentiment, test language, and know exactly when a message will hit or backfire. That means, unlike politicians clinging to outdated comms playbooks, we actually listen to our audience.

So when brands say “we hear you,” they don’t just mean it - they can prove it, with A/B tested campaigns, sentiment analysis, and real-time data feedback. Politicians, meanwhile, still think “listening tours” in a leisure centre count as market research.

That’s not to say all brands get it right. Remember Bud Light’s clumsy attempt to engage with LGBTQ+ audiences in the US? The backlash was brutal - and worse, it smelled of inconsistency. Authenticity, after all, isn’t about saying the “right” thing. It’s about saying the true thing. And living it.

A UK lens: awkward but evolving

The UK’s marketing landscape is still learning the authenticity game. We’re a bit allergic to overt sincerity - too earnest and we get suspicious. But slowly, British brands are finding their voice.

Take BrewDog. Whether you love them or loathe them, they’ve been unflinchingly bold - even when it’s got them into hot water. Or Co-op’s campaign supporting food banks and fair pay. These aren’t soft-focus brand films. They’re commercial activism. - and they walk the walk.

And while Westminster dithers over defining net-zero, companies like Octopus Energy are showing up with tangible action (and plain language to match).

In the EU, it’s about local relevance

Across Europe, authenticity tends to show up in hyper-localised messaging. Brands are getting better at adapting their voice for local nuance, resisting the one-size-fits-all tone that plagued global campaigns for decades.

French consumers, for instance, care deeply about provenance. German audiences are deeply sceptical of hype. Scandinavian markets want sustainability baked into the product, not tacked onto the messaging. EU marketing teams have had to evolve fast - and many are now miles ahead of their political counterparts in understanding what people actually want to hear.

What about the Middle East?

Let’s not pretend the rules are the same everywhere. In many parts of the Middle East, political messaging is less about persuasion and more about preservation. But brands are still playing a clever game of cultural storytelling - leaning into heritage, values, and visual identity to create a different kind of authenticity. It's less radical honesty, more tactful relevance. And in those markets, it works.

But beware the trap: performative marketing

Here’s the caveat, and it’s a big one. Brands can’t just slap a rainbow on their logo or post about Earth Day once a year and call it authenticity. Today’s audiences are unforgiving - and deeply online. They’ll call out hypocrisy faster than you can say “diversity strategy.”

That means authenticity isn’t a campaign. It’s a business model. It’s hiring practices, supply chains, data ethics, and transparency reports. It’s aligning your values with your actions - and then telling that story honestly.

Final thoughts from a marketer

We’re not saints. We sell stuff. But here’s the uncomfortable truth for politicians: marketers might be better storytellers because we’ve had to evolve. Our success depends on listening, adapting, and being just honest enough to win trust.

And in a world where political messaging feels increasingly hollow, maybe it’s time to admit that the business of truth-telling doesn’t belong to politics anymore.

It belongs to those brave (or foolish) enough to risk being real.