Operationalizing Trust: Practitioner Perspectives on Credibility, AI, and Media Strategy

Abstract: This interview contributes to current advertising scholarship by offering an industry-grounded perspective on the shifting dynamics of trust, credibility, and media behavior from a global communications firm. Drawing on insights from Courtney Miller, executive vice president and head of strategy at Edelman, the discussion examines how emerging patterns in the Edelman Trust Barometer, specifically the localization of trust, the expanded definition of credibility, and rapid media fragmentation, are reshaping audience expectations and brand communication. Miller outlines how generational cohorts interpret information differently, how proximity and authenticity increasingly condition persuasive effectiveness, and why traditional advertising alone is insufficient for establishing credibility. This “Perspective from the Field” adds to academic conversations by foregrounding how practitioners interpret and operationalize trust trends in real time, offering scholars a practice-based view of how brands are adapting to fragmented media environments, evolving influence flows, and rising demands for accountability.