Welcome to Authenticity Report - Issue #99
This week, we're exploring why credibility has become one of the most valuable assets for individuals, creators, and brands, and why authenticity is the foundation that makes it possible.
Our Roundup: From MLB & John Deere to Crayola, Chick-fil-A to Saucony, here's what caught our attention this week - show what happens when brands challenge assumptions, embrace authenticity, and stay true to who they are.
This Week’s Report
—> Credibility Is The New Influence
—> Key Takeaways
—> This Week’s Standouts
—> Top Voices
What Do You Think? Email us directly at [email protected]
Read Time: 2.5 mins
| Credibility Is The New Influence
I spent a few days at VidCon last month, the annual gathering where creators, platforms, brands, agencies, and the businesses shaping the creator economy come together to discuss what's next.
While AI dominated plenty of conversations, one session that really stuck with me was Pinterest Chief Content Officer Malik Ducard's talk on credibility, authenticity, and why they're becoming the most valuable currency in influencer marketing.
One point hit me immediately.
“Reach may get attention, but credibility earns trust.”
Malik argued that the biggest challenge facing influencer marketing isn't that it's become too commercial, it's that audiences have become incredibly good at spotting the difference between genuine enthusiasm and a paid endorsement.
We've all seen it.
A creator suddenly promotes a product that feels completely out of character, and the first question isn't "Should I buy it?"
It's "Do they actually use this?"
As the creator economy has matured, followers have become much more discerning. Follower count can create awareness, but authenticity creates influence.
What I appreciated most was Malik's advice to brands.
Stop chasing the biggest creators with the largest audiences.
Instead, find the people who are already talking about your product because they genuinely love it. Those creators may have smaller communities, but they often have far greater influence because they've already earned the trust of their audience.
That immediately reminded me of something we've talked about often in the Authenticity Report:
“Trust isn’t something you buy after the fact. It’s built long before anyone signs a contract.”
The lesson extends well beyond influencer marketing.
Whether you're building a personal brand, leading a company, creating content, or growing a business, people are becoming remarkably skilled at detecting what's real and what's performative.
Authenticity isn't just a nice brand value anymore, it's becoming a competitive advantage.
In a world filled with algorithms, AI-generated content, and sponsored everything, credibility may be the one asset that's becoming impossible to fake, and therefore more valuable than ever.
| Takeaways
1. Trust Before Reach
Don't chase the biggest audience, build the audience that believes you.
2. Earn the Right to Influence
People trust consistent actions over occasional promotions, so let your expertise speak before your marketing does.
3. Partner with True Believers
Whether hiring employees, choosing ambassadors, or collaborating with creators, work with people who already believe in your mission.
4. Authenticity Is Your Competitive Advantage
As AI and sponsored content become more common, genuine human credibility becomes increasingly difficult to copy, and more valuable because of it.
| This Week’s Standouts
This week’s real-time signals on how brands are actually showing up.
• "Baseball, John Deere, America's 250th — all we needed was an apple pie partnership. It just felt so iconically American." John Deere's exec described their new MLB partnership in one line.
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• Hasbro launched a Play-Doh line for adults called “Blooms,” and their CMO said something most executives would never admit on record - "If we market this as a traditional Play-Doh toy, we will fail."
• Chick-fil-A is bringing back Cow Appreciation Day on July 14 for the first time since 2018, and people are already losing their minds about it.
• Slate just announced their first-ever collaboration, and it's with Crayola. Not a tech company. Not a performance brand. A crayon maker.
• A new survey just asked 2,000 Americans which brands best represent the country, not because of their flags or their Fourth of July ads, because they show up in people's lives every single day.
• Saucony global president just gave one of the most honest interviews. He walked into the brand in 2023 and immediately pulled it out of hundreds of retail outlets, but the end results were shocking
| Tell Us
What Builds The Most Trust?
| Time To Choose
What Brands Are Authentic? It is time once again to choose which brands you feel are authentic. Please tell us via our survey (it takes less than 5 minutes to fill out).
The results of your decisions will be part of our annual Authenticity 500 Index rankings, which you will receive for free.
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| Top Voices
What Does Authenticity Mean To You?
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Our weekly guide explores the meaning of Authenticity as it relates to our personal and professional lives and the brands we connect with, bringing you the latest insights, curated news, and guest authors.
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Disclosure: Some content in this newsletter may be generated with the assistance of AI tools for research and drafting. It was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
