CHICAGO — In the 2025 Freeman Trust Report — the second report from a series of three — the data shows live events are a vehicle for driving consumers’ trust in brands, compared to the decreasing influence of the media and social networks.
Trade Shows as a Trust Generator
The level of trust attendees feel after attending an in-person event is a significant marker of the value of face-to-face opportunities. While 71% of brands saw a decline in corporate reputation in 2024, 95% of attendees said they trusted brands more after an in-person event.
In its research, Freeman found that high percentages of EDMs said live events had a positive impact on brand trust (93%), brand recognition (92%) and number of new clients (92%). The numbers don’t lie — brands need to connect with their audiences in-person at events like trade shows to have greater impact.
“These findings are incredibly valuable for event organizers, as they highlight the essential role of live events in strengthening brand trust and engagement,” said Mickey Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Freeman. “With 95% of attendees trusting brands more after an event, organizers can leverage this data to demonstrate the tangible impact of live experiences and justify event investments. As digital fatigue rises and trust in traditional channels wanes, face-to-face interactions are becoming increasingly essential for building authentic relationships.”
Trust also extends to the brand’s character, with 95% of working professionals saying they trust the brand to be good at what it does after attending an in-person event. While different generations of attendees have different expectations, 94% of working professionals said they trust the brand to be honest and 93% trust the brand to keep its promises after attending a face-to-face event.
Attendee Sentiments
In-person events and trade shows have an overall positive impact on attendees and how they think and feel about the brands they interact with, with 96% of attendees reporting positive feelings after an event.
Ninety-two percent of working professionals said that live events positively influence how they think about a brand or company, while 89% said they feel closer to a brand or company through live events.
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The Freeman Trust Report also shows that 47% of event attendees said their positive perception lasts a few months or more, and 87% of working professionals said they felt more motivated to visit websites, interact with the brand online and talk with their networks about the brands they connected with.
Knowing the positive impact of live events on how attendees view brands, it comes as no surprise that 85% of attendees are more likely to make a purchase post event, according to the Freeman report.
Opportunities for Event Organizers
The Freeman Trust Report concludes with three opportunities for event organizers to harness.
- Incorporate live events to reach marketing objectives: With live events having significant impacts of sales, engagement, retention and brand awareness, brands should participate in face-to-face events.
- Personalize events: Personalized experiences help people to feel better connected to a brand, with 92% of working professionals wanting a variety of content and control of their own experience, and 90% wanting personalized content and experiences.
- Elevate the attendee experience: Incorporate experiences that help further build trust, like speaker events with experts, product launches with demonstrations and networking opportunities that are aligned with an audience’s interests and goals.
The research featured in the 2025 Freeman Trust Report was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Freeman.
Find and download the 2025 Freeman Trust Report here.
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