Report Shows Consumers Demand Authenticity From Brands
New research from Clutch reveals that authenticity has become a decisive factor in consumer support, with 97% of people saying it influences their buying choices. The study also notes that authenticity drives action: 85% of consumers have purchased from a brand because it felt real, 62% recommend brands they perceive as authentic, and 70% are willing to pay more for them.
According to Clutch analyst Jeanette Godreau, “Consumers instantly recognize the difference between genuine behavior and surface-level authenticity. In an AI-heavy landscape, clarity, consistency, and real human presence are what build trust.”
Consumers identify authenticity and trust through openness, consistency, and clear human presence. Trust is most conveyed through transparency about processes or materials (69%), unfiltered reviews (62%), and a unique brand voice (55%). Visible human involvement and consistent messaging further signal that a brand’s behavior aligns with its stated values. Godreau added, “Authenticity isn’t a tagline. It’s demonstrated through everyday behavior. People define authentic brands by honest communication and actions that align with stated values.”
Discover more insights from the report here.
Cava Doubles Down on Value Over Discounts
Despite a dining environment where many consumers are pulling back, Cava is standing firm on its no-discount strategy. The Mediterranean fast-casual chain believes that the best way to appeal to budget-minded diners is by offering clear value in its ingredient-packed bowls, not temporary price cuts. This approach contrasts sharply with other major brands like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Chipotle, all of which have rolled out aggressive deals to lure customers amid softer traffic.
Cava Chief Financial Officer, Tricia Tolivar, said, “There might be a tendency to try to generate short-term improvements in traffic as a result of discounting. We don’t think that has value over the long term.”
Cava’s commitment to maintaining full prices comes even as it lowers its sales and profit outlook for 2025 and acknowledges that younger consumers are reining in spending. Executives point out that Cava’s bowls, loaded with greens, grains, chicken, and unlimited toppings for roughly $11 to $13, are competitively priced, especially compared with the perception that bowl-based meals are creeping toward the $20 lunch range. The company plans to preserve customer trust by keeping price increases modest. For Cava, the long game is clear: build loyalty through consistent value, not discount-driven expectations.
In addition to value-priced meals, Cava offers a robust rewards program, where customers can earn points on each purchase and redeem them for discounts and rewards. Check out the CAVA Rewards Program here.
AI Reshapes Holiday Shopping and Brand Visibility for Brands Like Adidas, Best Buy, and Ulta
This holiday season, shoppers are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini for help finding gifts and scouting Black Friday deals. Most major retailers are benefiting from this shift. Profound, a marketing platform specializing in AI-optimized content, has launched its Black Friday Index to track which brands appear most often in AI-generated shopping recommendations. The index ranks the top 10 brands by visibility across categories such as electronics, appliances, and beauty, based on how frequently each brand appeared in user prompts between November 25 and December 1. Early findings show clear leaders in some categories and more fragmented results in others. Walmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot dominated appliance-related queries, while Adidas led the shoe category ahead of Walmart, Nike, and Skechers. In beauty, product kits were especially prominent, with Kiehl’s and Peach & Lily among the most frequently suggested items.
Profound Product Manager Ralfi Berk said, “We have a large data set of real user conversations with AI platforms. By looking at the real commercial conversations people are having with AI and filtering out the relevant ones for shopping, … we are able to understand the types of questions people actually ask.”
Brands are now analyzing just how much traffic and sales these AI engines generate. This season marks the first with OpenAI’s Instant Checkout, along with new shopping integrations like Target’s beta experience inside ChatGPT. Some brands saw major spikes in traffic from ChatGPT during Cyber Week. Made In, for instance, saw sessions surge more than 4.5x. Still, because many shoppers use AI tools to research but don’t always click through directly, measuring the true impact remains a challenge.
View the Black Friday Index board here.
Original Article Links:
Clutch Report: Brands Are Losing Consumer Trust Fast as 97% Demand Authenticity
Cava Keeps No-Discounting Stance as Restaurant Deals Abound
Ulta, Best Buy and Adidas dominate AI holiday shopping mentions