Who Do Consumers Trust?
For decades, brands invested heavily in celebrities, polished advertising campaigns, and carefully controlled messaging. The assumption was simple: if you wanted consumers to trust your brand, you hired the right spokesperson, produced the perfect commercial, and told your story as consistently as possible.
We know that's not how trust is built anymore. I recently read an Inc. article discussing how Starbucks and Dell are investing in employee creators rather than relying solely on traditional marketing. Starbucks is expanding its Green Apron Creators program, giving baristas the opportunity to create TikTok content and share in advertising revenue, while Dell has built a structured employee influencer program that encourages employees to share their expertise and experiences online.
At first glance, these seem like creative social media initiatives. I actually think they reflect something much bigger happening in consumer behavior. Over the past decade, we've watched the face of the brand evolve. First it was celebrities. Then it was influencers. Now, increasingly, it's employees and everyday creators.
Why? Because consumers have become remarkably good at recognizing marketing. They know when they're watching an advertisement, and they're becoming increasingly aware when they're looking at highly sponsored content. That doesn't mean influencer marketing is disappearing; far from it. But consumers have become much more discerning. They pay closer attention to whether someone genuinely uses a product, whether a recommendation feels authentic, and whether the content reflects a real experience or a paid partnership.
As a result, many people are increasingly turning to everyday creators, employees, online communities, Reddit discussions, product reviews, and recommendations from people whose experiences feel more relatable than aspirational.
This isn't just happening at Starbucks or Dell. We've seen Garage build a strong social presence by featuring store associates who wear the brand. Beauty retailers continue to invest in advisors, educators, and creators who recommend products through firsthand experience rather than polished sales messaging. Across industries, companies seem to be recognizing the same shift: people connect with people before they connect with brands.
From a consumer behavior perspective, that makes perfect sense. People naturally place more trust in individuals they perceive as relatable, knowledgeable, or authentic. A barista making drinks every day, a Dell engineer explaining new technology, or a beauty advisor sharing products they actually use often feels more credible than a traditional advertisement because their experience feels lived rather than scripted.
This has emerged repeatedly throughout my own doctoral research as well. Participants consistently described discovering products through creators, recommendations, online communities, and everyday conversations rather than through traditional advertising.
I don't think this signals the end of traditional advertising. Rather, it reflects an evolution in how brands build credibility. For years, companies focused on telling their own stories, now, they're realizing that the most powerful stories are often told by the people who experience the brand every day.
Dania Khalife
