Ogilvy study links trust to consumer spending

Operational performance emerged as the strongest driver of credibility

Ogilvy has released its first APAC Believability Index: The Power of Proof, examining how consumers across Asia-Pacific assess the credibility of brands and organisations in an increasingly complex information environment.

Alongside the research, the agency has introduced an AI-powered diagnostic tool designed to help organisations identify reputational risks that may affect commercial performance.

Conducted in partnership with YouGov, the study surveyed 7,176 respondents across Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China. The findings suggest that declining consumer confidence can have a direct impact on purchasing behaviour, with 93 per cent of respondents saying they disengage from brands when believability is lost and 48 per cent stopping purchases altogether.

Research highlights silent consumer disengagement

The study found consumers are more likely to disengage quietly than voice dissatisfaction publicly. While 93 per cent said they would stop engaging with a brand after losing confidence, 55 per cent said they would express their dissatisfaction publicly and only 10 per cent would post about a negative experience on social media.

Operational performance emerged as the strongest driver of credibility. Forty-two per cent of respondents said they had stopped engaging with an organisation because a product or service failed to meet expectations, compared with 29 per cent who cited poor business ethics.

Credibility varies across APAC markets

The research also found that perceptions of credibility differ across the region. Consumers in Singapore and Malaysia were more likely to trust institutional authority and official sources, while respondents in Australia and the Philippines placed greater emphasis on recommendations and lived experiences from other consumers.

The report also found that rebuilding trust depends more on action than communication. Although 85 per cent of respondents said organisations can regain their confidence, 57 per cent identified fixing the underlying problem as the most important step, ahead of issuing an apology.

Agency introduces AI diagnostic tool

Alongside the research, Ogilvy PR has launched the Believability Diagnostic Tool, an AI-powered platform built within WPP Open. The tool combines Ogilvy's proprietary believability dataset with behavioural science modelling to analyse the gap between a brand's messaging and customer experience. It is designed to help organisations identify potential customer disengagement before it affects business performance.

Richard Brett, president of Ogilvy PR APAC: "As AI slop and synthetic content reshape the communications landscape, believability has evolved from a PR challenge into a commercial imperative. Traditional reputation metrics no longer tell the full story because the greatest risks are now invisible. The true cost of lost belief is measured in lost revenue, rather than negative headlines. The organisations that succeed in 2026 will be those that recognise operational action matters more than a traditional holding statement."

www.ogilvy.com

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