As consumers grow weary of broken promises, Williams calls on brands to rebuild trust by becoming growth enablers, not just storytellers

Olufemi Williams urged marketers to rethink their role as consumers grow weary of empty promises and brands lose their credibility

With technology  evolving faster than consumer expectations, one thing remains increasingly clear, and that is, that trust in brands is collapsing.

.According to Olufemi Williams, Former Group Managing Director of Chams PLC and current Chief Enabling Officer of Newwaves Ecosystem Ltd., consumers no longer believe what brands tell them, and the advertising industry is facing a trust crisis it can no longer afford to ignore.

Speaking recently as a keynote speaker at a marketing and advertising event, Williams delivered a stark message to industry insiders, stating that the golden age of brand loyalty is over.

Again, he said that unless marketers evolve, they risk becoming irrelevant in a world where trust is currency.

“Consumers don’t trust promises anymore,” Williams said. “There was a time when picking up a bottle of whiskey meant a guarantee of authenticity.

Today, it depends on where you buy it. There are fakes everywhere.”

So, from fake products to corporate scandals like Volkswagen’s emissions deceit, Williams highlighted how broken promises have eroded the credibility of even the most iconic global brands.

On the other hand,  he asserted that this growing skepticism is compounded by the fact that technological tools once exclusive to professionals are now available to everyone.

This he noted, is leveling the playing field and forcing marketers to find new ways to stand out.

The Trust Deficit

Williams didn’t mince words: “Brand trust is weak now.” Consumers are bombarded by ads, misled by influencers, and increasingly skeptical of any message that feels too polished or too perfect.

As a result, traditional marketing approaches focused on exposure, big budgets, and mass appeal are rapidly becoming obsolete.

Williams pointed to a critical shift which emerged from just acquiring new customers to building stronger relationships with existing ones.

According to him, companies that survive and thrive in this climate are those that integrate marketing deeply into operations and distribution, not just into messaging.

Marketers Must Rethink Their Role

One of Williams’ key critiques is that marketers have been too focused on outward communication and not enough on internal growth.

“Too many CMOs are still chasing virality while ignoring how their brand is actually performing on the ground.

“Marketing has been looking outside only. They hardly look inside,” he said. “They need to become growth partners, not just marketers.”

He cited examples where marketing teams have played crucial roles in operational innovation such as Guinness Nigeria using motorcycle logistics during COVID to bypass distribution bottlenecks.

This, he said, is marketing as a driver of growth, not just a department that designs ads.

What Brands Must Do to Rebuild Trust

Williams offered a roadmap for how brands and the marketers behind them can begin to regain consumer confidence:

1. Stop the obsession with new customer acquisition

Focus on upselling and retaining current customers by embedding marketing into the customer journey from factory to point of sale.

2. Embrace the human side of marketing

With AI tools now widely accessible, Williams emphasized that the only true differentiator is the soft side of marketing, storytelling, empathy, and authentic brand strategy.

3. Create shared, industry-wide data platforms

An industry-run AI and data ecosystem could provide marketers with richer, more respected insights helping brands offer truly personalized and trusted experiences.

4. Form strategic partnerships to fill operational gaps

Williams called on marketers to collaborate with local tech innovators and underfunded product creators, offering marketing expertise in exchange for revenue shares or equity.

5. Elevate the CMO to the C-Suite with real influence

For marketing to impact trust and business growth, CMOs must shift from being “brand custodians” to strategic enablers.

This requires cross-functional knowledge, including finance, operations, and technology.

The Bottom Line

In Williams’ words, trust is no longer built on promises, it is built on delivery.

And in a world where every consumer has access to information, tools, and alternatives, brands must prove themselves every day.

To do that, marketers must stop seeing their role as limited to messaging.

They must become growth enablers, operational partners, and most importantly, advocates for the consumer’s lived experience.

“Trust is not a campaign it is a commitment,” Williams concluded. “And right now, consumers are waiting for brands to live up to it.”