The 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study set out to understand how polarizing societal issues are affecting the consumer/brand relationship and uncover how brands can achieve a deeper connection with consumers. The study’s findings can help provide a roadmap for financial services companies navigating this new normal.

1. FINANCIAL SERVICES TRUST:
EARN IT

2. E D E L M A N E A R N E D B R A N D
2017 EDELMAN EARNED BRAND STUDY
2
14,000
RESPONDENTS
1,000 per country,
nationally representative
of age, gender, and region
based on most recent
country census data.
14
COUNTRIES
Online survey in Australia,
Brazil, Canada, China,
France, Germany, India,
Japan, Mexico, The
Netherlands, Singapore,
UAE, U.K., and the U.S.
SURVEY
TIMING
March 31 –
April 24, 2017
THE EDELMAN BRAND
RELATIONSHIP INDEX
Measures the strength
of the relationship consumers
have with the favorite brand
they buy across 7
dimensions. Measures
relationships across 18 brand
categories.
SOCIAL
LISTENING
We listened to consumer
conversations on social
media to understand the
societal issues that matter
most to consumers in
those countries to help inform
our analysis.
Unless otherwise specified, all data is from the 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study.
Full explanations of the Edelman Brand Relationship Index and other analyses performed, along with detailed sample and margin of error information, can be found in the Technical Appendix.
METHODOLOGY
GLOBAL SURVEY
2ND YEAR

3. 3
FINANCIAL
SERVICES
COMPANIES
MUST
EARN IT

4. 4F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
SHARED
BELIEFS
AND
VALUES
ARE THE MOST POWERFUL
DRIVER OF COMMITMENT
TO BRANDS
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study, Q13.

5. 5F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
ACTS WITH PURPOSE
BUILDS TRUST AT EVERY TOUCHPOINT
INSPIRES SHARING, INVITES PARTNERSHIP
LISTENS OPENLY, RESPONDS SELECTIVELY
TELLS A MEMORABLE STORY
MAKES ITS MARK
EMBODIES UNIQUE CHARACTER
FINANCIAL SERVICES
S T R E N G T H O F E A C H O F T H E S E V E N D I M E N S I O N S O F
T H E C O N S U M E R - B R A N D R E L AT I O N S H I P
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Dimensions and relationship levels. 13-country global total, by category. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of the dimensions of the consumer-brand relationship,
and how the Edelman Brand Relationship Index and five relationship stages were built.
Data by generation, income and gender is available upon request
LAGGING LEADING

6. 6
CREATE A
LINK TO
SHARED
BELIEFS
AND
VALUES BELIEVE BRANDS CAN DO
MORE TO SOLVE SOCIAL
ILLS THAN GOVERNMENT51%
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study, Q17.

7. 7F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
DEFINING THE BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYER
D O Y O U C H O O S E , S W I T C H , AV O I D O R B O Y C O T T A B R A N D B A S E D
O N I T S S TA N D O N C O N T R O V E R S I A L S O C I E TA L I S S U E S ?
50% SPECTATORS
Rarely buy on belief or punish
brands for taking a stand.
25% LEADERS
Have strongly-held,
passionate beliefs. The
brands they buy are one
important way they express
those beliefs.
25% JOINERS
Depending on the issue and
the brand, they will change
their buying behavior based
on the brand’s stand.
50% BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. 14-country global total.

8. 8F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS ARE YOUNGER
P E R C E N T O F M I L L E N N I A L S W H O A R E B U Y I N G B A S E D O N S H A R E D B E L I E F S
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. 14-country global total, by generation. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
MILLENNIALS MOST LIKELY TO BUY
BASED ON SHARED BELIEFS IN
India 75%
China 73%
UAE 67%
U.S. 66%
Mexico 63%
60%
Millennials
34%
LEADERS
26%
JOINERS

9. 9F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS ARE HIGHER INCOME
P E R C E N T I N H I G H I N C O M E G R O U P W H O A R E B U Y I N G B A S E D O N S H A R E D B E L I E F S
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Belief-driven buying segments. 14-country global total, by income. See Technical Appendix for a full explanation of how belief-driven buying was measured.
China 70%
UAE 69%
Mexico 67%
India 62%
U.S. 62%
57%
High Income
31%
LEADERS
26%
JOINERS
HIGH-INCOME CONSUMERS
MOST LIKELY TO BUY BASED
ON SHARED BELIEFS IN

10. 10F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
65%
FOR BELIEF-
DRIVEN
BUYERS
SILENCE IS
NOT AN OPTION
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study, Q17.

11. 11F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
WE’RE
SEEING
THIS IN
FINANCIAL
SERVICES
For this right-hand image,
use the following two slides
(Fearless girl and pix of
CEOs) and place them on
top of each other (fearless
girl on top)

12. 12
BRANDS
THAT IGNORE
THIS NEW
NORMAL
WILL FIND
THEMSELVES
TRAPPED IN NO BRAND’S LAND

13. 13F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
CONSUMERS
WANT TO
KNOW:
ARE YOU WITH ME?

14. 14F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
A BRAND’S STAND NOW MATTERS MORE
57%Are buying or boycotting brands
based on the brand’s position on
a social or political issue.
30%Are buying or boycotting
more than three years ago.
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q60 – Q63

15. 15F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
AUTHENTICITY
IS KEY
BOYCOTTING
ON THE RISE

16. 16F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
DON’T
CO-OPT
CULTURE
FIND YOUR CALLING

17. 17F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
GOING BEYOND NO BRAND’S LAND
CO-OPTING CULTURE
PUTTING OUT A POINT
OF VIEW
JUST STARTING
CONVERSATIONS
FROM
FIND YOUR CALLING
ACTING MORE THAN YOU TALK
INVITING THEM TO ACT
TO

18. 18F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
75%
COMPANIES
CAN TAKE
ACTION
TO INCREASE PROFITS AND
IMPROVE SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN
THE COMMUNITY
Source: 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, Q249

19. 19
USE
SHARED
BELIEFS
& VALUES
TO ATTRACT AND
RETAIN EMPLOYEES

20. 20F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
FINANCIAL SERVICES: LEAST-TRUSTED
SECTOR IS MOST-TRUSTED EMPLOYER
Financial Services
28
Points
Higher
80% Trust in
Company by
Employees
52% General
Sector Trust
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer, Q525 cut by Q420

21. 21F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
25
27
19
27 28
24
32
30
48
21 21 22
19 19
14
8 9 8
EMPLOYEES ARE ESSENTIAL ADVOCATES
M O S T T R U S T E D S P O K E S P E R S O N T O C O M M U N I C AT E E A C H T O P I C
Business practices/
crisis handling
Treatment of
employees/customer
Financial earnings &
operational performance
Company CEO Senior Executive Employee
Activist Consumer Academic Media Spokesperson
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer, Q610 - 615

22. 22F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY IN FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR
INCREASES WITH SOCIETAL ISSUE ENGAGEMENT
70 71 75
19 21 18
Employees of F.S.
companies NOT engaged
in societal issues
Employees of F.S.
companies engaged in
societal issues
Confidence in the
future of the company
Committed to
achieving our strategy
Do the best possible
job for the customer
89 92 93
IMPACT OF COMPANY
ENGAGEMENT:
+19
IMPACT OF COMPANY
ENGAGEMENT:
+21
IMPACT OF COMPANY
ENGAGEMENT:
+18
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer, Q527-529

23. 23F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
IF YOU
SHARE
THEIR
BELIEFS
AND
VALUES,
THEY WILL REWARD YOU

24. 24F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
SPEAK UP, AND THEY WILL BUY LOYALLY
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Buy only that brand
Buy more often
Buy first
Stay loyal
when a brand supports their position on an
issue vs. staying silent
BRANDS GAIN
51%
2xmore than
from Spectators
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q54

25. 25F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
GET IT RIGHT, AND WIN NEW BUYERS
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Bought a brand for the first time because of
its position on a controversial issue
BRANDS GAIN
10x more than
from Spectators
67%
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q17

26. 26F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S T R U S T : E A R N I T
SPEAK UP, AND THEY WILL SPEAK FOR YOU
OF BELIEF-DRIVEN BUYERS
Advocate for the brand
Defend it against critics
Criticize competitors
when a brand supports their position on an
issue vs. staying silent
2xmore than
from Spectators
48% BRANDS GAIN
Source: 2017 Edelman Earned Brand study. Q54

27. LIVE AND REINFORCE
YOUR COMPANY'S
BELIEFS AND VALUES
27