Trust between brands and consumers is under strain. New research from Twilio, a customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalised experiences for today’s leading brands, finds that 57% of UK adults are unsure which brand interactions they can actually trust, with two-thirds (67%) feeling treated like a commodity rather than an individual.
The findings, from Twilio’s Age of Distraction report, paint a picture of a nation overwhelmed by noise and craving more meaningful connection. The average Briton now receives 25 non-work notifications every day on their main personal phone and has over 1,000 unread personal emails, which could leave many feeling both saturated and emotionally disengaged.
“Customers don’t want brands as the main character in their day – they want a trusted supporting partner,” said Sam Richardson, Director of Executive Engagement, EMEA & APJ at Twilio. “In a world flooded with pings and prompts, the brands that win are those that step back, create space and show up with genuine value when they’re invited.”
Twilio’s data shows that consumers are sending brands a clear signal: act, and sound, more human. Over half (52%) want more human-centric language, while nearly half (48%) dislike being referred to as ‘end-users’. When brands treat people like data points, 63% say they are more likely to disconnect entirely.
Yet there’s opportunity in this fatigue. Thirty-nine percent of people would welcome brands that build real communities, but 77% say they haven’t experienced this in the past year.
