1. FleishmanHillard Authenticity Gap
The Authenticity Gap is a methodology to help companies understand and
proactively manage the gap between audiences’ expectations and their actual
experience of a company or brand. The data allows them to create true
relationships with their audiences – real Authentic Engagement – that drives
progress and opportunity.
FleishmanHillard’s approach to the Authenticity Gap involves both brand and
reputation. We believe Authentic Engagement happens only when the actual
experiences of your stakeholders and the expectations they have of your
organization match what your organization is saying about itself and what it is
actually doing – in other words, with your brand.
Customers don’t buy… Legislators don’t vote… Employees don’t come to
work…simply because of what you promise in your brand. Rather, they act
because of what they believe. Their experiences. Their expectations. In other
words, your reputation.
Creating better alignment between brand and reputation is critical for success
and growth. It is the central issue that every organization must solve today.
What Happens When Your Brand And Your
Reputation Are Not On The Same Page?
The Nine Drivers of Authenticity
Our research is framed against the Nine Drivers of
Authenticity – those attributes that most shape
audiences’ perceptions and beliefs about a company.
The drivers are tracked over time to monitor the
organization’s current authenticity and momentum against
key competitors.
Together these nine drivers provide a map to the agendas
of today’s stakeholders and how they engage with a
company.
All findings are country-, industry- and brand-specific.
Rather than a list of rankings like so many other research studies, our study gives
communications and marketing executives actionable data they can use to
shape their brands and business initiatives − thus addressing the Authenticity
Gap.
The research is conducted in partnership with Lepere Analytics who has
developed a proprietary method for identifying experts in any industry category.
The methodology ‘flips’ the traditional recruitment process and identifies a
subset of individuals who self-select only the categories in which they have a
higher level of interest, knowledge, engagement and influence.
Once the research is complete we develop a course of action to help the
organization close the critical gaps while building on its competitive strengths.
How is the Research Relevant?

2. For more information about the FleishmanHillard Authenticity Gap please contact Marjorie Benzkofer at
Marjorie.Benzkofer@fleishman.com or visit the Authenticity Gap webpage at CenterOnReputation.com
http://www.facebook.com/
FleishmanHillard
FleishmanHillard at @Fleishman http://www.youtube.com/
FleishmanHillard
How Are Companies Applying The Insights?
The Authenticity Gap insights can be used to address a wide spectrum of brand and reputation needs. These include, but are not limited to:
• Differentiating for industry leadership
• Identifying strengths & weaknesses for reputation recovery
• Strategic business planning
• Mission, vision values development
• KPI in measurement dashboard
• Building business case for additional resources
• Government & community affairs strategy building
• Cultural integration with employees
Authenticity Gap Products & Programs
AUTHENTICITY SNAPSHOTS
AND GUIDES
Gives data from existing polls from a
particular category and country. Depending
on the level of the report, it will show
category expectations, data on specific
brands or companies, company momentum
along with other infographics and
commentary.
AUTHENTICITY CUSTOM RESEARCH
Is a custom poll designed in partnership with
the client and tailored to a chosen company,
competitive set and countries. Clients can
add custom questions and fashion the
specific demographics of the experts being
polled.
AUTHENTICITY WORKSHOPS
A series of half-day or full-day sessions that
bring together communication and executive
leaders in facilitated sessions to work
collaboratively on addressing the authenticity
gaps. Sessions can be as simple as message
development work or involve more complex
issues in business and operations planning.
Latest Authenticity Gap Findings
• For every brand studied, there is an Authenticity Gap – a gap between people’s expectations and their actual experiences.
• Industry leaders meet or exceed competitors on all nine of the authenticity drivers.
• They also maintain a wide margin of differentiation on one or two drivers.
• Corporate behavior matters as much as customer benefits.
• Consumers now have a personal relationship with brands that goes deeper than transactions.
• There is no such thing as “global.” Consumer expectations vary widely by market.