A new study from McCann finds that 73% of people in India say it’s more important than ever to prioritize truth, while 46% believe brands are less truthful than they were 20 years ago, and 71% worry they will soon be unable to distinguish between real people and artificial ones online.
The Truth About Global Brands surveyed 20,713 people across 20 markets and draws on independent insights from an analysis of B2B decision-makers conducted by Economist Enterprise, the B2B arm of The Economist Group. The research finds that brands must help consumers navigate an increasingly complex “Truth Maze” by eradicating doubt to drive growth.
“Global brands are experiencing a growth crisis as we’ve shifted from a trust economy to a doubt economy, putting CMOs under more pressure than ever,” said Tyler Turnbull, Global CEO, McCann.
“The new playbook for the future of brand building will be grounded in a brand’s ability to show up with clarity, credibility and cultural fluency at every decision point.”
The “Truth Maze”
In a world flooded with information, consumers and business leaders are navigating what the research calls a “Truth Maze”: a complex web of conflicting information, AI-generated content, and competing claims that has made it harder than ever to determine what is real.
The research suggests that AI adoption is expected globally — 72% of consumers and 88% of B2B leaders say brands must use AI to keep up — but the research indicates accountability will be what sets brands apart. In India, 57% of people say being transparent about AI use is the most effective way for brands to build trust, and 49% say brands should help them understand what’s real and what isn’t in AI-generated content.
The research frames trust as a revenue driver rather than a soft brand value. In India, 88% of respondents say they will actively choose brands they trust, even if they cost more. Additionally, 71% of consumers in India and 79% of global B2B decision-makers say they have stopped using a brand because they no longer trusted it.
Global brands are experiencing a growth crisis as we’ve shifted from a trust economy to a doubt economy, putting CMOs under more pressure than ever.
“In a world where truth matters more than ever, certainty is the new value exchange,” said Harjot Singh, Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann.
“The data tells a compelling story: when business leaders lose faith in a brand, they walk away and they don’t come back easily,” said Tamara McMillen, Chief Revenue Officer, Economist Enterprise.
“What this means for global brands is that the commercial cost of doubt is real and measurable. Brands that invest in being trustworthy guides to B2B decision-makers are the ones best positioned to grow.”
Multi-Modal Globality
The research identifies a shift in how culture and influence flow globally, describing the phenomenon as “Multi-Modal Globality.” Influence is increasingly multi-directional, the study finds — not West-to-rest — with markets including China, India, and Saudi Arabia shaping global norms. In India, 79% of people say you can be a global citizen without travelling.
According to the research, culture increasingly circulates across interconnected networks rather than flowing in a straight line from global to local, making traditional top-down or bottom-up brand-building models less effective.
The “Upward Class”
The research identifies a segment it calls the “Upward Class” as the next growth engine for brands: a group of 1.02 billion people globally with $29.5 trillion in annual spending power, highly motivated by progress, self-improvement, and upward mobility.
Unlike previous generations, according to the research, these consumers use brands not just to consume but to signal progress, identity, and belonging. The “Upward Class” shows lower brand cynicism and stronger belief in brands as tools for advancement, the study finds, making them influential in defining what growth looks like next.
“Future growth won’t come from leaning on existing audiences or legacy markers of scale,” Turnbull said.
“It will come from brands that turn truth into a genuine growth engine, building connected systems of meaning, culture and commerce. That’s what McCann’s Truth Well Told framework is designed to do.”
Methodology
The Truth About Global Brands is based on a survey of 20,713 people across 20 markets — the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, Spain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and New Zealand — conducted between November 2025 and January 2026, combined with qualitative insights from senior marketing leaders and global CMOs.
