At Aspidistra, we understand the undervalued currency of trust. As former journalists, we know that authority, authenticity, and attention all depend on it, especially with rising misinformation and AI manipulation. To see how trust is shaping perceptions around the world, here are five fascinating findings from the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer survey of 15,000 respondents across 15 countries.

Published annually by the global communications firm Edelman, the Edelman Trust Barometer aims to take the temperature of trust in the media, religion, NGOs, politics, and beyond. In 2025, brands once again emerged as the most trusted agents of change, even as public frustration with government, big business, and the wealthy continued to grow.

Our Edelman Trust Barometer findings

1. Brands sweep the trust stakes

80% of respondents said that they trust that brands will do the right thing, outscoring government, NGOs, the media and business.

2. The SEO to GEO challenge

Of the 55% of Edelman’s survey respondents who said they use generative AI platforms, the vast majority explained they used them to research brands, compare products and summarise reviews. This means brands need to think about content that delivers relevance, credibility, and clarity, which ultimately drives their AI footprint.

3. Silence is not always golden

Consumers who expect brands to address societal issues indicated that they would buy less from brands that ignore social responsibility. Interestingly, this sentiment was stronger among older generations — 60% of those aged 61 and older said they’d vote with their wallets.

4. When “me” trumps “we”

In addition to addressing shared challenges, consumers also want brands to make them feel good on a personal level. They want to feel safe, confident and hopeful. They also expect brands to provide optimism, education, and deliver on purpose-driven action.

5. Politics influences brand activism perception

Regardless of political persuasion, most consumers will likely purchase from brands that are active on challenges such as clean air. However, a political divide emerged on cultural issues, with left-leaning respondents showing more support for such matters than their right-of-centre peers.

Read the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer here.

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Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash