Babs Crane on How Brands Earn Trust

Описание: What does it really take for people to trust the information that is being communicated to them?

Babs Crane is a consumer psychologist and design consultant who specializes in bringing human understanding to communication, design, and technology. Drawing on psychology and behavioral science, Babs helps organizations understand not just what people do but why they do it. She’s passionate about projects that help people live healthier, happier lives.

In this episode of Expertly Said, Kristen and Babs explore the role of psychology in messaging and decision-making—and why trust sits at the center of it all.

The Big Idea: Building Trust in the Era of AI

People want to trust, and they want to feel trusted, but it has to be earned. Brands can earn trust by helping people understand what they’re being told, showing clear evidence of effort behind the message, and avoiding anything that makes audiences feel misled or deceived. These considerations are especially important in highly regulated industries where people need to make high-stakes decisions based on complex information.

Babs highlights how generative AI adds a layer of complexity. While businesses can use AI to produce large volumes of highly polished content, doing so could compromise trust. Research shows that once people learn something was AI-generated, their perceptions of its value drop. Ultimately, trust strengthens when audiences can sense the effort, care, and warmth behind a message—signals that are closely associated with the human touch.

Key Takeaways

Brands can earn trust by being intentional about what they communicate and how they communicate it.

Trust is especially important when asking people to take in complex information and make sound decisions based on it.

When people sense the effort and care behind a piece of communication, it contributes to trust.

Discovering that something was AI-generated can feel deceitful, and deceit has a profoundly negative impact.

People form judgments about others based on both competence and warmth; while businesses tend to prioritize competence, warmth is what builds immediate trust.