The FINANCIAL — Red Cross enjoys the highest levels of trust among prosperous consumers in Georgia (74%), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) the lowest (12%), according to the ‘NobletMedia CIS PR & Communications Guide 2013’. Over half of the survey’s respondents trust the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (54% and 52%, respectively).
Georgian consumers proved to be quite a trusting audience: over half (60%) of the survey’s respondents declared that hearing information once from one trustworthy source was enough for them to consider it reliable, according to the ‘NobletMedia CIS PR & Communications Guide 2013’. Around one third of respondents need to hear same information 2-3 times to trust it. The most reliable sources of information about companies and their products were named as friends, scientists, professionals and people sharing the same social status. Television was named as the most popular and most frequently used source of information in Georgia (24% of respondents use it as their main source of information), followed by online forums, blogs and social networks (16%) and online news (12%). In case of conflict between a business and the government, a relative majority (30%) of prosperous Georgians are inclined to trust the business community.
Non-binding advisory referendum on joining NATO held in Georgia on 5 January 2008 alongside presidential elections, was approved with over 75% in favour.
“The results of the “NobletMedia CIS PR & Communications Guide 2013” study revealed some important tendencies in the habits and behaviour of Georgian consumers. We believe that knowing the names of the most trusted sources and channels of information and forms of communication in Georgia can help the country’s PR and marketing professionals to make the right decisions and run efficient and comprehensive campaigns,’ Anna Shevchenko, Regional Director of NobletMedia CIS.
Prosperous Georgian consumers name companies operating in the telecommunications and technology sectors as ‘the most trustworthy’
Telecommunications companies are in first place in terms of trustworthiness, and enjoy a significant advantage (69% of respondents) in the levels of trust they command among prosperous Georgians. Over half of the latter declared that they also trust companies working in the technology and clothing & footwear sectors (55% and 51%, respectively). The lowest levels of trust are reserved for manufacturers of alcoholic drinks, pharmaceutical companies, food producers, construction companies and industrial businesses.
Almost all factors of corporate social responsibility (CSR) were named as sufficiently important
A positive attitude towards employees appeared to be the most important factor in terms of CSR (94% of Georgian consumers), followed by companies taking good care of their premises and properties
(93%) and modifying their products or manufacturing processes to reduce their environmental impact (91%). Supporting social and other important projects was considered to be a relatively less important factor in terms of CSR (86% of respondents).
Among international organizations, the Red Cross enjoys the highest levels of trust and the Commonwealth of Independent States the lowest
Among international organizations, the Red Cross enjoys the highest levels of trust among prosperous consumers in Georgia (74%), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) the lowest (12%). Over half of the survey’s respondents trust the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (54% and 52%, respectively), and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank enjoy almost identical levels of trust among prosperous Georgians (49%, 49% and 47%, respectively).
Friends were named as the most reliable source of information
According to the survey’s respondents, the most reliable sources of information about companies are: friends (68%), scientists (64%), people with the same profession or working in the same field (57%) and people sharing the same social status (53%). Officials and government representatives enjoy the lowest levels of trust (barely 7%).
The main issues prosperous Georgians are willing to discuss online are: territorial conflicts, bringing up and educating children, and personal care
The most popular topics that prosperous Georgian consumers are willing to discuss online are territorial conflicts (36%), bringing up and educating children (35%), and issues concerning health, beauty or personal care (31%). Around a fifth of respondents (22%) declared that they do not discuss anything online. Women are much more open to discussing how best to bring up and educate children (36% of women against 22% of men), whereas men, on the other hand, are more active in discussing topics such as Georgia’s NATO integration (20% of men compared to 8% of women) and traffic and driving habits (17% of men against 7% of women).
The ‘NobletMedia CIS PR & Communications Guide’is the first specialized survey in the field of PR and communications to be conducted in the countries of the CIS and Georgia. It investigates levels of trust among prosperous consumers, and responds to various key questions of communications planning such as consumer trust in institutions (business and government authorities) and in various channels and forms of communication, as well as the influence of trust on consumer behavior. The survey was based upon the “Edelman Trust Barometer”.
NobletMedia CIS is an affiliate and partner of Edelman—the world’s largest independent PR company—and is a member of many international professional bodies.
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