All around the world people protest against governmental regulations. Among them are not just wacko’s but hippies, intellectuals, entrepreneurs, mums, dads – just people. The protests are the most visible manifestation of widespread feelings of anger, fear and uncertainty. At TrendsActive we put those manifestations in context. A recent article by the Financial Times shares some interesting stats: 90% of Trump voters believe the victory of Joe Biden was not legitimate, only 40% of people in France say they plan to get a Covid-19 vaccin shot, in many countries the proportion of Covid-19 deniers is more than 22%. According to the FT we are living in the age of ignorance: “Distractions stop us from paying attention to what matters, political tribalism makes us reject evidence that casts our tribe in a bad light. Combine the two, add steroids and you get the third element of the age of ignorance: conspiracy thinking.” What does that mean for your brand or organization? These are signs of distrust. And as Edelman’s 2021 barometer clearly shows: businesses are now expected to step in to solve issues and create societal impact. It shows that when trust in governments and media declines, people are looking at businesses to offer solutions for the challenges in today’s world.
