Crafting impactful communications in a post-truth world

The term, “Post-Truth” garnered widespread global attention in the aftermath of 2016 US Presidential Elections which saw the ascendance of Donald Trump to power as the 45^th President of the United States. What followed was an intense discourse on misinformation, information bias, deception and social media activism. Suddenly, the world was woken up to a reality wherein facts were not absolute, and truth flexible. In the years that have followed, the clamour has only become more pronounced and the debate more incensed. Today, the conversation on post truth extends beyond the political realm, it has found a firm footing in diverse domains and the world of communications is no different. Let’s look at how the realm of communications has evolved in the modern world:  

1. Communications as the conscience of an organisation

Communication as a function is meant to deliver on one of the most critical and rare relationships that an organisation seeks to build with its audiences- TRUST. With increased technological proliferation and differentiated manifestations of brand narratives, trust, over time, may have taken a backseat for most organisations when it comes to communications strategies. In a world where attention, reach, share of voice and real time engagement reign supreme, Trust as a theme which is limited in its measurability and infinite in its impact has somewhere become a value lost in translation. 

In the always-on world of brand communications, there are very few entities today which are able to straddle the tightrope between consumer attention and brand trust. Trend jacking, moment marketing, interactive engagement over time have evolved from being effective tools of engaging consumers to deliver meaningful experiences to being the experience itself! With the above in mind, how can we expect a consumer to trust a brand and over time, develop a sense of loyalty towards it when most of the brands today tend to come across as imitations of one another? 

2. Marrying trust with creative expression

There is a solid need today for communicators to invest in long term trust building to make an impact with the consumers in the post truth world. A part of the answer to this complex equation lies in marrying hard facts with creative expression. For example, Max Life, one of India's biggest insurers, operates in a market where consumers place a high value on their ability to trust their life insurance provider. The moment of truth for any insurance company is its claims paid ratio, which is a percentage of claims paid out compared to the number of outstanding claims throughout a fiscal year. While Max Life has always been the industry leader in claims paid ratios, the company recognized that statistics alone are insufficient today. To achieve impact on trust for the end consumer, the brand created the unique slogan "India ke Bharose ka Number" (The Number India Trusts), which creatively utilizes its industry-leading claims (99.51%), transforming dry data into a powerful message that solidifies its reputation for reliability.

 3. Redefining Advocacy in the current landscape

To lend more credence to the above, one must look at redefining advocacy itself. The communication of promotion is passé and communicators must adopt a more comprehensive approach to storytelling. It is essential to place the social and cultural context of the audience and the market at the core of communication efforts. This approach should be deliberately and responsibly targeted to add real value to consumers' lives, moving away from the outdated "spray and pray" method. For example, a recent PwC report highlights that Millennials and Gen Z, who prioritize social consciousness and environmental justice, are willing to spend more for sustainability. For communications professionals, this means making concerted efforts not only to effectively showcase their organization's sustainability initiatives but also to encourage greater organizational commitment to social responsibility.  

4. Translating brand narrative to KOL speak

There is also a strong need to move beyond brand speak and translate to relatable leader speak at an initial stage and move towards credible KOL (Key Opinion Leader) speak in more evolved stages. In tactical terms, it means that organisational leaders must be up to date with consumer preferences and expectations and have a unique and nuanced view of solving for the problems of the modern consumer. This narrative should not only percolate via press channels but also find a significant share of space across the leaders’ owned channels. A well-researched and personal piece by a business leader on social channels opens doors for constructive conversations with other KOLs in the space and contributes towards consumer reliance for the immediate future. What is key here is to understand that in the post truth world, the role of communications teams’ is to enable people to find the truth in a way that is more natural instead of carpet bombing it all across their feeds.  

5. Lead with purpose to deliver impact

Communication strategies in a post truth world are required to undergo a shift that priorities values and large scale business impact on society instead of pure-play proposition and numbers.  Let’s consider the case of EVs as a segment. In this segment, traditional marketing methods that emphasize performance characteristics like range and acceleration are giving way to storylines that highlight EVs' environmental and socioeconomic benefits. Companies are increasingly orienting their communications around reducing carbon footprints, combating climate change, and encouraging sustainable living. To effectively communicate with today's socially conscious consumers, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, EV makers must incorporate principles like sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility into their brand narrative. They must express not only the technological excellence of their products, but also their dedication to making a positive difference for the environment and future generations.  

In a nutshell, the post-truth world necessitates an approach to communications that prioritises trust, authenticity, and meaningful connection. Brands must go beyond the surface measurements of attention and reach to truly connect with their audiences through transparent, values-driven storylines. The blending of facts with creative storytelling, as demonstrated by Max Life's novel use of claims data, is critical for establishing and sustaining confidence in an era of widespread misinformation. Furthermore, the trend toward advocacy that aligns with current customers' social and cultural objectives, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, highlights the need of communicators emphasizing sustainability and social responsibility. Effective communication increasingly depends on the capacity to incorporate these ideas into brand narratives, resulting in deeper, more authentic relationships with customers. In this complicated world, communications teams' roles are more than just disseminating information; they must also curate and express reality in a way that resonates with society's growing expectations, eventually driving long-term loyalty and trust.