While Uncle Sam props up the markets and maintains low interest rates, brands’ greater engagement with consumers, along with a readiness to respond to emergencies, forms a central role. CMOs need three actions to optimize the situation.

1. The Coming Trust Bubble
3 Actions for CMOs
By Dean Crutchfield Associates
Dean Crutchfield Associates

2. People Are Scared About The Future
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3. If you simplify their decision-
making process with authenticity,
simplified learning and options to
weigh in on, consumers think less
about the decision and you can
irrevocably demonstrate a way to
win back consumer confidence
and Share of Trust.
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4. Dean Crutchfield Associates
Growth Advisors
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5. The Trust Bubble
The Euro zone crisis, a cracked BRIC, a
U.S. fiscal cliff that even 100% tax on
Americans would not cover, coupled
with invidious behavior of a phalanx of
the world’s admired corporations,
threatens a trust bubble.
“The cult of equity is dying,” according
to Bill Gross, founder of Pimco.
If the trust bubble bursts it would wreak
havoc on the intangible value of the
world’s brands. In deference to former
U.S. Treasury Dept. watchdog Neil
Barofsky’s book “Bailout,” in which he
argues, “The public should lose faith in
their Government” – the real threat is
the public is losing faith in brands..
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6. CMOs Pivotal Role
CMOs have a pivotal role to play as
consumer spending and confidence
recede, and it’s not just about
making the quarter in which they
are well vested: Brand value
represented nearly $4 trillion of the
S&P alone.
While Uncle Sam props up the
markets and maintains low interest
rates, brands’ greater engagement
with consumers, along with a
readiness to respond to
emergencies, forms a central role.
Dean Crutchfield Associates

7. Drivers to Consumer
Decision Making
The Corporate Executive Board
undertook a substantial study on
how people make decisions using
a whopping sample of 7,000
consumers and corporate buyers.
The study uncovered a veritable
gallery of insights, among them
three key drivers that lead people
to make quicker decisions. These
drivers combined represent an
actionable framework for CMOs
to win back the customers’ vote
of trust.
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8. The First Driver Is Trust In The Information
Not In The Brand
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9. 1. Trust in Information
Adhesion to brand strategy can often
cripple the need for the brand to interact
in a leaner, smarter manner as we have
witnessed with the tsunami of bad news
and behavior of big brands over recent
months. Retaining trust requires
knowing what the “brand” means to the
category, knowing who are the game
changers and developing communication
approaches that break the frame (not
the law).
Providing accurate, timely advice and
actionable insights via recommendations
by experts, consumer advisors, ratings
and reviews, using conventional
marketing, social media and brand
building that is quickly deployable with
high intensity, works.
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10. 1. Trust in Information
Trust is eroded and money is wasted by many brands when
they fail to understand when their consumers are most open
to influence on a topic and how you can interact with them at
those gateways.
As the author Benjamin Graham, remarked: “You’re neither right
nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you. You are right
because your data and reasoning are right.”
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11. 1. Trust in Information
In a new era of cash-flow constraints,
brand rationalization and no-risk
methods to regain trust, what are the
best methods for protecting it? It’s not
just the venality of big brand misdeeds
that fuels discontent: Consumers have a
simple wish for a better life.
Any great brand is built on a belief, not
just on seeing what hurdles there are to
overcome, but on envisioning what isn’t
there.
This is accomplished by thoroughly
understanding the scope of options, the
consumer, what communication
channels are priorities and how to
leverage resources for maximum impact
with minimum effort.
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12. The Second Driver: The Medium Is The Message
Consumers’ Shared Access To Knowledge Is The
Currency Of Contact With The Consumer
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13. 2. Knowledge is the
currency of contact
It’s not just by sharing links, pics, videos and
PDFs that we make sense of the world; wired
in our heads is a place where our trust is all
about narrative – it’s about sharing stories.
As Big Think’s Jason Gots said, “Narrative
helps us to navigate the world, it tells us
where to place our trust and why.”
Storytelling is the secret weapon for
encouraging consumer learning and is
optimized by simplifying the research
process. This includes providing valid and
relevant information, enabling transparent
engagement, and building the capacity of
supporters with the integrity and ambition
behind the brand rather than picking over its
entrails. If brand narrative can convert life
into a meaningful experience, using stories is
the most effective way of translating
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knowledge into action.

14. The Vital Third Driver
Quicker Decision-making By Providing Options For Action
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15. 3. Providing Options for Action
Options for consumers to confidently weigh up realistic alternative scenarios.
To best serve today’s agitated consumers, CMOs’ actions need to be different, heroic,
with principles that make their brand known for being remarkable, followed by many
for being a challenger of the rule and above all, shareable.
Aside from “Hide Nothing, Tell All,” the prerequisites for this third driver are ramping
up mobile and online presence, encouraging more consumer feedback with choices,
guides, and “dressed” empirical information. The study revealed that ironically,
alternatives are essential for quick decisions, enabling consumers
to isolate uncertainties, evaluate the options and share the stories, a critical
ingredient in building trust and values.
Dean Crutchfield Associates

16. On The Front Foot
People are scared about the future. If you simplify their
decision-making process with authenticity, simplified learning
and options to weigh in on, consumers think less about the
decision.
While no panacea to illegitimate behavior, such practical and
forthright actions to provide and present timely, relevant and
valid knowledge with options to bail-out weary consumers
could irrevocably demonstrate a way to win back much vaunted
consumer confidence and share of trust.

17. Our Mission
Achieving growth
For ambitious leaders who are driven to grow fast
Creating new business
Orchestrating and activating accelerated outreach programs
Building efficiencies
Rapidly sourcing the best talent for the business
Improving margins
Rallying teams behind the brand and go-to-market strategy
Boosting win rates
Delivering your best case and winning face forward
Dean Crutchfield Associates

18. LET’S
GROW
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19. Contact: Dean@deancrutchfield.com +1 917 239 3303
333 East 34th Street, Suite 15A/B, New York, NY 10016
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20. Dean Crutchfield Associates
Growth Advisors
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