In this week's Monday Morning Marketing podcast, Ilyce Glink and John Byrne discuss the new Cohn & Wolfe Authentic 100 Survey about brand authenticity. In other words, what does it take to be an authentic brand, and how can you use content marketing to create brand authenticity and customer engagement?
Cohn & Wolfe is a global communications and public relations firm that specializes in brand awareness. The company surveyed more than 12,000 global consumers, asking what made a brand authentic, and asking which companies fit the definition of brand authenticity.
Which brand ended up at the top? Disney. 
The survey found that 75 percent of global consumers do not believe companies are open and transparent, which means that brands around the world have a credibility problem. Cohn & Wolfe's survey found that brand cynicism is the highest for Western European consumers, and global brands are as suspect as more local companies.
What's interesting about the most authentic 100 brands around the world is how much they govern our daily lives. Disney, BMW, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Intel, Audi, Samsung, Adidas, and Legos are the 10 most authentic brands, according to the survey. John and Ilyce wonder how much of your income you spend with those brands.
Creating brand authenticity is a content marketer's primary job. Today's consumer values a brand that seems authentic, meaning it seems transparent about what it is doing (even if that is just selling you something). Companies that are deemed to be hiding something or are not transparent are not trusted. Bilateral trust is a must for companies to grow.
Ilyce and John carry the discussion to the political stage and wonder which politician is the most authentic.
Ilyce Glink is the founder/CEO of Think Glink Media, a digital content marketing company. John Byrne is President of Glencoe Media Group.
Thanks for listening! We'd love to hear your feedback, so be sure to leave comments and find us on Twitter, Facebook, G+ and check out our companies (and brands) online:
@Glink - Think Glink Media  and IlyceGlink.com
@johnmbyrne - Glencoe Media Group