Trust Is the New Target Market: Why Purpose-Driven Brands Must Get Louder (and Braver)
- Jefferson Darrell
- Feb 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 5
Marketing isn’t just what we say, it’s what we signal. And in a world that’s turning inward, where differences trigger distrust, those signals can land as questionable dog whistles or blatant bullhorns. But here’s the problem: insularity is killing trust.
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer paints a stark picture:
7 in 10 people avoid those who don’t share their values.
Trust is highest in “my employer” but collapsing in communities, government, and even neighbours.
And most notably: Organizations are being called to step up as “trust brokers” bridging divides where institutions have failed.
Sadly organizations are NOT stepping up on that last one. Data from numerous sources (US Bureau of Labor & Statistics, People of Colour in Advertising & Marketing’s Visible & Vocal Study, Canadian Public Relations Society, and more) indicates that BIPoC peoples, Women, an others have actually experienced an INCREASE in incidents of micro aggressions and discrimination to levels higher than seen prior to the short-lived racial awakening of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd.
Richard Edelman on the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Findings
At Breakfast Culture, we believe trust is the new equity.
And purpose is the currency.
Our Workplace Culture Assessment Tool helps organizations to broker employee trust. Breakfast Culture helps organizations benchmark and measure their workplace culture initiatives and KPIs. The results? Increased revenue and productivity, reduced attrition, we even tripled donations for a non-profit, and more.
From “Woke” Whispers to Purpose Bullhorns
We’ve seen “woke” diluted, demonized, and dragged; from its Black liberation roots to political football. But while others debate whether to use the word, we still do to stay focused on the work. For those who still don’t understand, woke is a political term of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) that refers to a perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice, initially racial justice.
This mini documentary from the Legal Defense Fund explains the first use of the term woke. Spoiler: It was a warning to Black peoples from Alabama Singer Led Belly about lynchings/murders happening in the US South. Which is why when I hear woke used as a pejorative, especially by leaders in politics or organizations it sends a clear message about physical harm.
Why did “Woke” go from Black to bad?
Because let’s be real: If you’re too afraid to say “Black Lives Matter,” how can I trust you to build a culture where mine does? This mindset applies to all social justice work, not just racism.
Marketing isn’t just optics, it’s obligation. And your silence speaks volumes.
So here’s our recipe for Woke Marketing that Works:
Be Authentic. Walk. Your. Talk.
Be Present. Your values should show up before the press release.
Be Prepared. The backlash will come. So will the breakthroughs.
People don’t need brands to support everything, they need them to be relevant. If your brand isn’t brave enough to be challenged, it’s not brave enough to be trusted.
Be Anti-Insular: It’s Time to Build Bridges, Not Bubbles
Borrowing from Ibram X. Kendi’s challenge to be anti-racist and Edelman PR’s 2026 Trust Barometer, I’ll go further...
In this era of distrust, brands must be anti-insular.
Because insularity isn’t just a communications issue — it’s a culture issue.
And culture isn’t just what you say in public, it’s what you tolerate in private.
According to Edelman, trust is no longer passively earned; it must be actively brokered. That means organizations must diagnose their internal trust gaps, own the work, and invite accountability.
That’s why we created the Breakfast Culture Workplace Culture Assessment Tool.
It’s more than a DEI audit. It’s a trust-brokering blueprint that helps organizations identify:
Which employees feel seen, heard, and valued (and which don’t) – Belonging.
Where inclusion is merely performative vs. authentically practiced – Authenticity.
And how aligned your internal culture is with your external purpose – Integrity.
Because you can’t market your way out of a broken culture.
But you can build trust from the inside out.
Ready to assess where you really stand? Visit BreakfastCulture.ca
Want to Go Deeper? Book our Purpose-Driven Marketing Workshop. We created this workshop to help brands and creatives do what too many marketing and comms strategies avoid: embrace complexity, build cultural fluency, and market with trust, not fear.
You’ll leave with:
A framework to evaluate woke vs. whitewashed messaging
Case studies on brands who got it right (and wrong)
And tools to turn good intentions into bold, brave, inclusive campaigns
Book a discovery call to learn more today: https://calendly.com/jefferson7/30min
The bottom line?
We are the culture.
We are the message.
We are the trust brokers.
And at Breakfast Culture, we’re not afraid to be the bridge.
Let’s break some eggs!
Jefferson Darrell
Founder & CEO, Breakfast Culture Inc.
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