Transparency And Trust: The Edelman 2010 Trust Barometer

As our society careens into a challenging and turbulent era, our value systems change. For the first time, trust and transparency trump product quality in our decisions about brands:

via Edelman

I have to wonder if this is a permanent shift in the social fabric, or a temporary phase induced by the financial turmoil of the recent past. I am betting on a permanent change in cultural norms.