Authenticity and truthfulness in communication – is it possible?
Our world offers more communication opportunities than any period of our history. People across the globe communicate in real-time, companies constantly try to disseminate their messages to their target audience, and consumers influence the brands with their inputs.
The constant development of new channels brings new opportunities for people or companies to diversify their communication acts. The consumers are more informed and more socially involved. They demand more from the companies, and they need to see evidence of authenticity and truthfulness in their acts of communication. All these aspects make harder for companies to communicate the right messages, to the right people, at the right moment.
What “authentic” means for a company?
Authentic communication means that companies, before trying to interact with the public, need to establish their values and core beliefs. For a brand, being authentic means having a greater level of honesty and understanding towards the people they communicate with. The company’s activity must unfold revolving around its values so the public will be able to consider and make rational choices.
Authenticity is an integral part of what honesty and transparency in a brand’s activity represent. Transmitting a feeling of truthfulness to the audience is essential in completing the goals the brand has laid down. The new perspective the public has about the impact of the companies on society embodies the challenges the companies face. The audience is extremely diverse, has different values, and utilizes a multitude of platforms to communicate. These aspects create a difficult context for the companies to reach and convince consumers about their intentions, and this is why a Public Relations agency can be of great help for brands in their communication with their target audience.
How can a Public Relations agency help brands to adopt a communication strategy based on authenticity and truthfulness?
One of the main features of authenticity is the ability to listen to others and understands their needs and demands. This way, a company can create relevant content that will make the public have the desired reaction. Agencies specialized in communication assume the responsibility to enhance a brand’s presence, and this requires a cohesive vision that can be adapted to all communication channels.
Brands and Public Relations agencies work together to transmit towards the consumers the messages that coincide with the vision the company desires to implement. A communication strategy based on truthful messages increases credibility. A PR agency lays down a communication strategy that incorporates all messages in a unitary vision and takes care that the target audience receives them. The authenticity and truthfulness of these messages demonstrate that the company takes responsibility for their communication and gives the public the possibility to make advised opinions about the company’s business philosophy. Such a strategy creates loyal customers that believe in the values of the brand.
Thanks to the PR agency’s expertise and knowledge of consumers’ expectations, brands have the opportunity to become important social actors.
By being authentic and true to their beliefs, they can have a huge positive impact on their communities.
What makes a message authentic and truthful?
The relation between messages and actions is essential in analyzing the vision a brand has. At the same time, the accuracy of the message contributes to the perception the audience builds. The consumers can confirm if a brand’s claim is true or accurate by simply trying its products or services. The context is important because it represents the social, cultural, political or economic frame in which a claim is made by the companies. Therefore, the public will relate to the context to assess if a message is authentic and truthful.
The PR agency is compelled to know the context and analyze if a message will generate the desired reaction from the audience. Besides accuracy and context, the balance of communication acts from the brands has an important role in defining a good strategy. The best way to implement an authentic communication strategy is by working with the facts and never making assumptions.
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