The Rise of the Trust Economy: Why AdTech’s Decline Signals a New Era for Marketers
2020 marked a turning point for digital marketing. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign emerged as a watershed moment, with over 1,200 businesses and nonprofits - including major brands like The North Face, Patagonia, and Verizon - pulling advertising from social platforms to protest their handling of hate speech and misinformation.
This movement revealed deeper systemic issues in digital advertising that can no longer be ignored. As we navigate an increasingly polarized digital landscape, marketers must recognize we’re witnessing the decline of traditional ad tech and the emergence of a new paradigm: the trust economy.
The Social Media Reckoning
Recent research paints a damning picture of consumer sentiment:
- 70% of consumers distrust social media platforms with their data (Forrester)
- Only 14% believe information on social media is trustworthy
- 37% of U.S. adults believe social media does more harm than good
These findings highlight a critical reality: social platforms were never designed as marketing channels. What began as digital town squares have become:
- Complaint forums that damage brand perception
- Pay-to-play environments where organic reach is nearly extinct
- Algorithmic echo chambers that amplify division
As Forrester’s report “It’s OK to Break Up with Social Media” suggests, marketers need to reconsider their reliance on these platforms.
The Privacy Revolution
Consumers are increasingly aware of - and resistant to - intrusive data practices. Consider this scenario:
- You undergo minor surgery
- You mention it to no one and post nothing online
- Yet suddenly, your feed fills with medical malpractice ads
This isn’t hypothetical - it’s the reality of today’s data-driven ad ecosystem. But change is coming:
- CCPA implementation: Giving Californians control over their data
- Apple’s IDFA changes: Restricting app tracking and location data usage
- First-party data partnerships: Like Meredith and Kroger’s collaboration to move beyond cookies
These developments signal a permanent shift toward privacy-conscious marketing.
Building the Trust Economy
Our research with eConsultancy reveals:
- 39% of U.S. consumers dislike cookie-driven personalized ads
- Email drives 3x more purchases than social ads
- Demand for loyalty programs is growing 9:1 versus reduction
The path forward requires fundamental changes:
1. Own Your Channels
Shift focus to owned properties where you control the narrative and data:
- Email marketing
- Loyalty programs
- Branded communities
2. Embrace Zero-Party Data
As Forrester’s Fatemah Khatibloo explains, “Zero-party data” - information customers proactively share - is the foundation of trust-based marketing.
3. Rethink Measurement
Move beyond vanity metrics to value-driven KPIs that prioritize:
- Customer lifetime value
- Engagement quality
- Permission-based relationships
The Marketer’s Mandate
The trust economy demands accountability. We must:
- Audit our media investments for ethical alignment
- Prioritize transparent data practices
- Build genuine value exchanges with customers
As the digital landscape evolves, one truth remains: trust is the ultimate competitive advantage. The brands that cultivate it will thrive in marketing’s next era.
