As brands make their decisions to rollback DEI initiatives, and as others maintain or increase diversity efforts, consumers are watching. A new report from Collage – Building Trust in Turbulent Times – examines how Americans are responding. Eighty percent of consumers say trusting a brand is important when making a purchase, and only 40% say brands and companies are trustworthy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Among other aspects, the report finds that:

• Inclusive marketing is a vital tool for brands. In fact, 80% of Americans say inclusive marketing is equally or more important today compared to 2020. Furthermore, 39% of Americans have purchased from a brand because its advertisement represents diverse people authentically.

• By 2050, 55% of the American population will be Multicultural. Today, 51% of Gen Z are already Multicultural. And 1 in 3 of Gen Zers identify as LGBTQ+. U.S. buying power by race or ethnicity is in the trillions! If brands can capture the hearts of these groups – the Multicultural, young, LGBTQ – the brands may be able to enjoy these segments as consumers for decades to come.

• Target is stuck in a repeated, reactionary cycle of dramatic reversals and now the brand is vulnerable to backlash. Consumers want brands to be authentic. Marketing messaging different from corporate policies can alienate suppliers and consumers. Forty-eight percent of Americans do not trust the brands that are involved in social issues but lack internal diversity.
• In January 2025, Target ended several initiatives focused on support for underrepresented groups; in February 2025, the brand launched a Black History Month collection. A number of consumers did not approve of this series of events.

The full study, available upon request, examines a wide array of other consumer trust components. It explains how brands can build trust, and it takes an in-depth look at Target’s DEI decision compared to Walmart’s.

If you have any questions or interest in interviewing an expert, please let me know.

Thank you for considering,

Quintin

Quintin Simmons

Public Relations & Communications Manager

Collage® | LinkedIn | Twitter

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