We live in a state of everyday disorientation.
It is not just information overload — it is the erosion of our most basic certainties: what is real, what is reliable, what is true.
In this environment of constant uncertainty, a set of values that should have always been fundamental has returned to the center of the relationship between Brazilians and brands: transparency, usefulness, and authenticity now form the three pillars that underpin people’s trust in companies.
This is the main conclusion of a survey developed by Textual and conducted by Balt Pesquisa, which interviewed 600 Brazilians from all regions of the country. “Conversations That Build Reputation” points to a decisive shift in expectations about how companies present themselves, behave, and communicate.
Click here to download the full survey.
What People Want from Brands
The findings reinforce that people expect much more from companies than good products or services. There is a clear desire for guidance amid the noise: 86% of respondents say they value brands that combat misinformation, while 85% expect companies to help them better understand the world.
The demand for usefulness beyond products and services is also evident: 83% of respondents say they value branded content that teaches them something useful or broadens their understanding of what is happening in society and around the world.
The survey reveals an interesting balance between educational and lighthearted content. Humor ranks as Brazilians’ second favorite type of content, just behind offers and promotions. But this desire for lighter content does not diminish their interest in serious topics: health and well-being, innovation, sustainability, and practical information about everyday life are among the subjects that attract the most attention.
Transparency as a Social Expectation
Transparency, once seen as a competitive advantage, has become an ethical imperative: 82% of Brazilians want clarity about pricing, while 79% expect transparency regarding how their personal data is used. And 77% want to understand how companies operate — in other words, how they produce and deliver their services, rather than simply hearing slogans.
The Aesthetics of Authenticity and the Fatigue of Performative Communication
It is significant that 73% of people trust brands more when they admit their mistakes. At the same time, 55% of respondents are irritated by content that feels overly scripted, while 53% are uncomfortable with brands trying to adopt a “youthful” language that does not genuinely reflect who they are. Together, these findings reveal a growing sense of fatigue with performative communication.
Even influencer partnerships fall into this territory of distrust: half of respondents say they do not believe celebrities who promote products they do not actually use.
The survey suggests that humanizing brands has shifted from being a strategy to becoming a potential trap when executed mechanically. People recognize the tactic and reject attempts to manufacture authenticity.
At the same time, they value genuine voices. Consumers (75%), experts (73%), and companies’ own employees (62%) emerge as more trusted sources than celebrities.
This shift creates opportunities for more horizontal communication, closer to people’s everyday lives, provided it remains consistent with the brand’s identity.
The Media as a Source of Credibility and Validation
One of the most striking findings, particularly in an environment saturated with channels and platforms, is the enduring role of the news media as a source of credibility.
Nearly half of respondents say they discover brands through news coverage. And 77% report that content published in the media influences their purchasing decisions.
A brand’s presence in the news appears to provide an additional layer of credibility and independent validation that consumers consider essential.
Bringing all these elements together, our survey makes one thing clear: reputation is increasingly built through consistency in everyday actions and interactions.
It grows stronger when an employee speaks on behalf of a brand, when a company acknowledges a mistake, when it offers content that entertains, or when it teaches something that genuinely improves people’s lives.
Carina Almeida, Managing Partner of Textual Comunicação
