Beyond the Buzzwords: Closing the 22-Point Confidence Gap in Communications

There is a striking disconnect highlighted in the new Brands in Motion report by Ipsos and WE Communications. While 61% of communicators believe their organisations excel at navigating complexity, a mere 39% of audiences agree.

This 22-point confidence gap is a warning sign. In a world that is getting "louder, faster, and more fractured," we need to create the best possible communications in order to be heard.

We need to move past "perfect" and start being "real". Authenticity comes up time and time again in studies as being important for consumers. So what can we as marketers and communicators proactively do to address this huge confidence gap?

1. Be a Human. It's Strategic, Not "Soft"

We often treat human-centric communication as a secondary goal, but the data suggests it is a core business imperative. When messages lack humanity, at best they can fail to land, and at worst they can actively backfire in a polarized environment.

Here's my take from the report:

• Ditch the "corporate speak. The report tells us that 77% of audiences are tired of overused jargon. We're done "leveraging" and "thinking outside the box", nor do we want to"boil the ocean" or "circle back".

  
  

• Be empathetic first and corporate second. When delivering difficult news, the most effective strategy is acknowledging how the news might make recipients feel.

  
  

• It's ok to be funny in the right situation. Surprisingly, 68% of respondents say humour increases their interest in an organisation's message. My recommendation? Be very sure you know your audience.

  
  

2. Lead with Clarity, Not Just Certainty

I've long said that audiences don't expect you to have all the answers, but they do demand honesty and direction. This report backs that up:

• Be clear or don't bother. Audiences stop listening when a message is vague (ranked #1) or lacks a clear takeaway (ranked #2). This makes sense when you think about it - if I have enough noise in my life, why should I listen to what your organisation is telling me?

  
  

• People need time to process. Creating safe spaces for transparent dialogue both before and after a message is communicated allows people to ask questions and feel heard.

  
  

3. Principled Action Amid Uncertainty

Audiences are looking for more than just polished PR.

• Values matter, but nobody believes your generic waffle any more. They want evidence or it didn't happen.

  
  

• AI isn't out, but humans still need to be involved. 22% of "skeptics" will trust a company less if they find a message was written by AI.

  
  

Moving Forward

The most successful brands won't be the ones that avoid difficult conversations, but the ones that navigate them with empathy, clarity, and a human face.

Is your organisation ready to close the confidence gap? Let’s chat about how to take that first step.