Human-to-human connection is essential for our lives and our businesses. These face-to-face moments deepen relationships, deliver knowledge and provide memorable enjoyment. Live interactions also bring consumers and brands together, which builds trust. And now there’s a new study proving that in-person connections at live events lead to loyalty and trust.

Freeman, a global events leader, recently released the Freeman Trust Report 2023, a comprehensive research study on the impact of face-to-face interactions on brand loyalty and trust. Powered by Edelman Data and Intelligence, the new report uses extensive survey data to examine how live events and in-person interaction impact trust and loyalty for brands in the U.S. 

Survey data from the new report demonstrates a clear correlation between face-to-face interaction at live events and brand trust. Key findings include:

  • 77% of all respondents — and more than eight out of 10 millennials — say they trusted brands more after interacting face to face with them at live events.
  • The halo effects from these interactions lasted at least a month for 64% of people surveyed, resulting in long-term brand trust, recognition and sales.
  • 72% of respondents who attended an event in the past six months say they were significantly more likely to have positive perceptions of a brand they encountered at the event.
  • 77% of respondents who interacted with a brand at a live event left with greater trust that the brand would do what is right.

“A brand’s most valuable asset is the trust it builds with its customers,” says Mickey Wilson, chief marketing officer at Freeman. “Freeman’s new research makes it clear that the companies who engage with their customers at live events build significant trust and loyalty. When considering the volume of marketing channels available to brands today, live events stand out for their unique ability to foster the connections and relationships companies most urgently need.”

For  more information about Freeman or its report, please visit freeman.com.