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Amsterdam Business School Amsterdam Business School

Enhancing Trust Through Brand Transparency

Transparency is key to building consumer trust and strong brand relationships. This paper introduces a new way to measure perceived brand transparency, breaking it down into three main aspects: observability, comprehensibility, and intentionality.
Ko de Ruyter

What Did You Want to Know?

We aimed to understand how perceived brand transparency affects consumer trust and brand evaluations. We also wanted to create a reliable scale to measure these impacts and provide practical advice for brands on implementing transparency initiatives.

What Did You Find Out?

Our research shows that higher perceived brand transparency—when brands are clear, observable, and intentional in their communications—positively influences consumer trust and brand evaluations. We developed and validated a scale to measure these effects, confirming that transparency initiatives can make brands seem more honest and reliable.

What Does This Mean?

Brand managers should focus on making their processes visible, their communications easy to understand, and their disclosures purposeful. This strategy can significantly boost consumer trust and brand evaluations. Companies, especially those facing consumer scepticism, should adopt transparency initiatives to build stronger relationships and stand out in the market, leading to more favorable consumer perceptions and increased brand loyalty.

Where can I read more?

Montecchi, M., Plangger, K., West, D., & de Ruyter, K. (2024). Perceived brand transparency: A conceptualization and measurement scale. Psychology & Marketing. DOI: 10.1002/mar.22048.