Only 5% of Americans say corporate statements are fully credible

A new Resonant Advisory Group report finds corporate credibility is weak across the U.S. and getting worse, with AI emerging as the least credible topic and crisis messaging losing ground fast. The survey suggests companies can rebuild by prioritizing transparency, simpler language and better day-to-day interactions.

Why it matters: - Corporate credibility is now a business risk, not just a communications problem. - The survey suggests companies may lose trust in layoffs, crisis response and product claims when audiences do not believe leadership statements. - The findings point to a widening gap between what companies say and what Americans accept as credible.

What happened: - Resonant Advisory Group released a report titled “The Credibility Deficit: Why Business Starts Behind, and How It Earns Its Way Back One Interaction at a Time.” - DHM Research, working with Verasight, surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide. - Only 5% of Americans said corporate statements are “completely credible.” - 63% said crisis communications have become less credible in the past year. - Across nine industries tested, none had even 1 in 10 respondents calling their statements “completely credible.” - The report was issued from Portland, Oregon, and includes Resonant Advisory Group president Erik Moser’s assessment of the findings.

The details: - AI ranked as the least credible topic in corporate communication. - 48% of respondents said AI in business operations is not credible. - AI adoption tied with “responsibility to shareholders to be profitable” as the least credible explanation for a hard business decision, at 27%. - Inflation and rising costs were the most accepted layoff explanation, with 45% calling that credible. - In seven leadership comparisons, respondents favored the steadier, less flashy option in six. - Practical leadership beat visionary leadership 74% to 26%. - An employee- and stability-focused approach beat a tech-forward one 85% to 15%, the widest margin in the survey. - The only exception was a visible, socially present CEO, which beat a low-visibility CEO 57% to 43%. - The report groups credibility into four pillars: company conduct, industry standing, societal engagement and community investment. - 79% said a company earns more credibility by disclosing bad news before outsiders expose it. - 57% said one company’s poorly explained crisis worsens their view of the entire industry. - The report says credibility is earned or lost daily, while trust builds slowly over time.

Between the lines: - The strongest skepticism shows up around business decisions that look inconsistent with stated values, especially layoffs paired with strong profits. - Higher-income and highly news-engaged audiences are more skeptical, which matters because those groups often include influential customers and stakeholders. - The report’s message is that polished messaging may matter less than visible accountability and plain language. - Moser said companies have stretched credibility to its limits and need to focus on fundamentals like daily interactions, simplified language and protecting credibility.

What's next: - The report argues companies can rebuild credibility through more transparency and less spin. - Resonant Advisory Group says businesses should expect skepticism to remain high and should prepare for future crises by strengthening everyday credibility now. - The report concludes that companies have little to lose by being more honest and a lot to gain.

The bottom line: - Americans are not buying corporate messaging at anything close to face value, and AI is making that problem worse.