What do Singaporeans look for in a brand?

Not taking advantage of a crisis was regarded as the top attribute.

The state of consumer trust in Singapore has entered into a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by Qualtrics.

Findings from the study show that consumers are most likely to trust brands that are not taking advantage of a crisis (42%), followed by those that are maintaining a reasonable pricing range (40%), and those that are taking care of employees (37%).

Meanwhile, messages of hope and optimism (14%) or even statements about providing new products and solutions (10%) were regarded as less impactful drivers.

Singaporeans are said to be more interested in the operational impact of COVID-19 compared to sales and promotional marketing, as most locals prefer to hear how the business is responding to the crisis (68%). This is followed by the impact on distribution (49%) and information on products and services (48%).

Findings also revealed that Singaporeans want brands to communicate with them, highlighting a strong preference for tried and tested channels, with email coming out on top as the most preferred communication channel (52%), followed by online media (46%), and Facebook (44%).

Bottom of the list were Twitter (7%), TikTok (3%), and other forms of media besides email, including online media, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TV advertising, radio, and print.