2. Edelman’s 17th
Trust Barometer
Methodology
Online Survey
General Online Population
1,150 respondents per country
Informed Public
500 respondents in U.S. and China,
and 200 in other countries
Ages 25-64
College-educated
In top 25% of household income
per age group in each country
Report significant media consumption
and engagement in & public policy
15 years of data
Ages 18+
4 years in 25+ markets
33,000+ respondents total
18 years of data
28 Markets
Conducted OCT 20th -NOV 29th 2017
Mass Population
All population not including informed public
Represents 85% of total global population
4. Media is, for the first
time, the least
trusted institution
globally.
Global28
Turkey
Australia
Japan
Sweden
U.K.
France
Ireland
Poland
Russia
S.Africa
Argentina
S.Korea
Germany
U.S.
Brazil
Colombia
HongKong
Spain
Italy
Malaysia
Mexico
Canada
Singapore
TheNetherlands
UAE
India
Indonesia
China
71
68
61
5655
52
494847454443434342424039
35353433333232323130
43
TrustNeutralDistrust
Distrusted in 22 of 28 of markets
● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●0 +5 -1 0 -1 0 0 +4 +3 +4 -4 -1 0 0 -5 -5 -2 +1 0 -3 +5 +1 +4 -2 +1 +12 -5 +1 +6
Y-to-Y Change− +0
5. How do people
in Sweden define
media?
PLATFORMS
PUBLISHERS
16%39%
SearchSocial
67%
News
Apps
18%
Influencers
90%
Journalists
30%
Brands
Q: What did you assume was meant by the phrase “media in general”?
6. 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
38
31 32
36 37 37
33
Avg (Search/Social)
Source: 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer. When looking for general news and information, how much would you trust each type of source for general news and information?
However, the distrust of media in Sweden
is caused largely by a decline of trust in
platforms like search and social media
Platforms
-4
7. 2017 was a big year for “peer-media”.
We didn’t want experts, we wanted to listen to
individuals and informal sources rather than institutions.
9. Worry about Fake
News in Sweden
58%
The rest of the world sees even higher fear
of fake news “being used as a weapon”.
10. Media is failing with its
most important task.
TRUST-BUILDING MANDATE PERFORMANCE SCORE
Guard information quality 32
Inform good life decisions 43
Entertain 67
32Guard information quality
11. Perhaps at the cost of
being entertaining?
TRUST-BUILDING MANDATE PERFORMANCE SCORE
Guard information quality 32
Inform good life decisions 43
Entertain 6767Entertain
12. Ideological agendas
aren’t our main
concern.
62%
are more concerned with
attracting a big audience
than reporting
Attracting
Large Audiences
43%
support an ideology vs.
informing the public
Politics
65%
sacrifice accuracy to be
the first to break a story
Breaking News
Percent who agree that news
organizations are overly focused on…
13. But rather commercial
interests, like attracting
more readers
62%
are more concerned with
attracting a big audience
than reporting
Attracting
Large Audiences
43%
support an ideology vs.
informing the public
Politics
65%
sacrifice accuracy to be
the first to break a story
Breaking News
Percent who agree that news
organizations are overly focused on…
15. Or publishing first.
62%
are more concerned with
attracting a big audience
than reporting
Attracting
Large Audiences
43%
support an ideology vs.
informing the public
Politics
65%
sacrifice accuracy to be
the first to break a story
Breaking News
Percent who agree that news
organizations are overly focused on…
16.
17. I am not sure what is true
and what is not
Loss of Truth
62%
We don’t even trust our
own judgement on what
is true or false.
55%
The average person does
not know how to tell good
journalism from rumor or
falsehoods
Uncertainty Real vs.Fake
18. Are disengaged with news
and consume it less than
weekly
55%
Q: How frequently do you consume news produced by major news organizations, either at the original source, shared by others or pushed to you in a feed?
19. I do not know which
politicians to trust
The distrust in media
erodes the trust in other
institutions who rely on
them, such as politicians.
Q: What consequences are you experiencing as a direct result of the media not doing a good job fulfilling its responsibilities?
%
55%
Percent of respondents who feel they
are experiencing these
consequences as a result of media
not fulfilling its responsibilities, in
Sweden
20. Are we becoming fed up with alternative
facts, opinions and speculations?
In 2018 we search for truth and knowledge.
21. Despite low trust in media platforms,
journalism sees an increase in trust.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
38
31 32
36 37 37
33
43
37 38
36
40 39
52
Avg (Traditional/online) Avg (Search/Social)
Journalism
+13
Platforms
-4
Q: When looking for general news and information, how much would you trust each type of source for general news and information?
23. While trust in a “a person
like yourself” is still on par
with the trust in academics
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
32
383939
434545
51
59
6263
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
21
31
37
29
32
45
41
52
6364
61
-4-2
24. the increase of trust in
authority and experts is the
biggest change since last year.
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
32
383939
434545
51
59
6263
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
21
31
37
29
32
45
41
52
6364
61
+10 +7 +11+11
26. 32
46
47
42
33
45
46
23
Business MediaNGOs Government
+19 +1 +1 -1
General
Population
NGOs have had the biggest
increase in trust amongst
all institutions this year.
Possible factors
Distrust in media?
Search for objecitivity?
Rise of trust in experts?
Issues spread faster?
Recent events?
Increase not reflected in public
gifts and donations.
27. Meanwhile we see
businesses as leading
the path towards a
better future in
Sweden.
Business
NGOs
Government Government
Media Media
Which institution is most likely
to lead to a better future?
Global
NGOs
Business23%
19%
30%
6% 5%
23%
13%
30%
28. Government is seen
as the most broken
institution followed
by media. 6%
Business
39%
Government
28%
Media
6%
NGOs
Q: Which institution is the most broken?
29. Business leaders are
expected to lead on
change
57% Their main job is to make sure their
company is trusted according to 71%.
Percent who say that CEOs should take
the lead on change rather than waiting
for government to impose it.
30. Companies that
only think about
themselves and
their profits are
bound to fail
59% 55%
CEOs are driven
more by greed than
a desire to make a
positive difference
in the world
We believe that
companies that
only act selfishly
will fail.
31. Companies that
only think about
themselves and
their profits are
bound to fail
59% 55%
CEOs are driven
more by greed than
a desire to make a
positive difference
in the world
And CEOs need to
watch out not to
appear to be
greedy.
32. Search
for truth
Trust in search and social declines
58% worry about fake news
Politicians suffer from low trust in media
Journalism is on the rise
Experts are in demand
Brands lead towards a better future
1—
2—
4—
3—
6—
5—
33. So what are the lessons for us as
communicators going into 2018?
35. The government’s
role is seen as an
administrator and
safekeeper.
Role of Government
Q: Thinking about [insert institution] in general, how would you characterize each using the following three-point scale
Investigate
corruption
Support
the poor
Provide
social services
36. Whilst we think of
the role of
businesses as
economic drivers
and innovators.
Q: Thinking about [insert institution] in general, how would you characterize each using the following three-point scale
Role of Business
Consumer
safety
Drive economic
prosperity
Innovate
37. Case 1 McDonalds McDonalds gives young
people in Sweden, who
perhaps otherwise
wouldn’t have gotten a
chance to enter the
labour market (or the
society), to get a job.
38. KRY was founded in 2015
and makes it possible for
patients to meet with a
doctor over video and
save sick people valuable
waiting and traveling time.
KryCase 2
39. American taxi app Lyft
offered people a 45%
discount on election day in
20 states in order to make
it easier for them to get to
the polling booths.
LyftCase 3
42. People thirst for knowledge, but don’t
know who to trust or where to turn to.
43. We long for experts and there’s
an opportunity to answer the
need for knowledge.
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
32
383939
434545
51
59
6263
Technicalexpert
Academicexpert
Apersonlikeyourself
Employee
Financialindustryanalyst
Successfulentrepreneur
NGOrepresentative
Boardofdirectors
Governmentofficial/regulator
CEO
Journalist
21
31
37
29
32
45
41
52
6364
61
44. Find your area of expertise, but base
it on something people care about.
45. “We have been exercising
for hundreds of years.
We want to share our
expertise with you.”
Svenska
Försvarsmakten
50. Today we expect
companies to be
opinionated.
Are buying or
boycotting brands
based on the brand’s
position on a social or
political issue.
57% 30%
Are buying or
boycotting more
than three years ago.
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand Study
51. Half of all buyers in the
global Edelman Earned
study said they are
“belief driven” buyers.
Millennials are even
more likely to be so.
50%
are belief-
driven buyers
Q: Do you choose, switch, avoid or boycott a
brand based on its stand on controversial
societal issues?
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand Study
53. And those who dare
to speak up have
everything to gain.
Buy only that brand
Buy more often
Buy first
Stay loyal
62%
Advocate for the brand
Defend it against critics
Criticize competitors
48%
Will pay a 25% premium
23%
54. Issue will land on your doorstep and if you
don’t have an opinion you will fall behind.
59. The role of journalists as gatekeepers
become even more critical as they are
seen as more trustworthy.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
43
37 38
36
40 39
52
Avg (Traditional/online)
Journalism
+13
Q: When looking for general news and information, how much would you trust each type of source for general news and information?
60. There is real opportunity, and risk, for
those who end up on their agenda.
61. You have to think about how they operate, but
above all, what it means for your message.
62. Messages need to break into the culture of
your consumers. Their trust is not for sale.