Why getting uncomfortable earns people’s trust
REPORT
23 Sep 2020
Why getting uncomfortable earns people’s trust

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, brands are working on anti-racism agendas. But in order for real change to occur, it’s clear that businesses need to pursue, not avoid, ‘uncomfortable’ positions. As people look for brands to take action, embracing discomfort is a way to earn trust.

David M. Bersoff, Ph.D.

David M. Bersoff, Ph.D. is the senior vice president of Global Thought Leadership Research at Edelman Intelligence. David earned his PhD at Yale, taught at the University of Pennsylvania, and previously led insights at The Futures Company and Yankelovitch.

Sissi Johnson

Sissi Johnson is the founder of SelfSells, a cultural consulting agency advising socially conscious brands. As a scholar, she has developed and taught graduate management programs about multiculturalism in beauty, fashion, luxury brand management, and the media.

Kayla Evans

Kayla Evans, from Douglasville, GA, is a social and cultural psychology master’s student at The London School of Economics. She first studied psychology at Harvard College and has since been interested in understanding why people trust and distrust. In her free time, Kayla enjoys (online) live music, scoping out new coffee shops in whichever city she finds herself in, and going on not-too-long-distance runs.