Three major behaviors become companies’ “invisible killers” of corporate integrity. Survey: More than half of Hong Kong people publicly condemn questionable brands; only 30% trust KOL promotions.

Brand credibility determines customer loyalty. A recent survey has found that more than 90% of people in Hong Kong take punitive actions against “doubtful brands,” such as publicly filing complaints on social media and stopping purchases of their products. Moreover, 60% of people choose to “quietly exit.” The report notes that these consumer behaviors will directly threaten companies’ actual revenue, and lists 3 indicators of poor operations—like a company’s “invisible killer”!

More than 90% of people in Hong Kong “punish” doubtful brands Over half choose to publicly condemn

Ogilvy (an integrated communications agency) and YouGov (a market research firm) released the survey report《Credibility Index: The Power of Evidence》, analyzing Hong Kong consumers’ responses when a company loses credibility under the “credibility economy.”

The survey was conducted online from April 22 to May 4, 2026, interviewing 1,032 Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above. As many as 94% of respondents said that once they develop doubts about a brand or an organization, they will take “punitive actions.”

Among them, more than half (58%) said they would take public or semi-public “condemnation actions” against brands that lose credibility, including:

• Telling friends or colleagues they do not support the brand (30%)

• Reporting the brand’s content as misleading information (17%)

• Publicly posting negative comments or opinions (15%)

• Proactively and publicly avoiding information about the relevant brand (14%)

• Contacting the brand directly to express concerns (12%)

• Sharing personal experiences on social platforms (10%)

61% of people in Hong Kong have “quietly exited” in the past year Stopping brand events or stopping purchases of products

In addition to punitive actions, the survey also found that when consumers lose trust in a brand, it will trigger their exit, directly threatening companies’ actual revenue. The survey indicated that 61% of respondents said that within the past 12 months, they stopped participating in the brand’s activities or stopped purchasing its products due to doubts about the brand’s claims.

Overall, 89% of people in Hong Kong said they choose to quietly and silently give up on brands. Of these, 46% said they would completely stop buying, while 32% said they would turn to the brand’s competitors.

3 major indicators of poor operations Turn a company’s integrity into an “invisible killer”

The survey noted that when consumers abandon a brand or organization because they “no longer trust it,” the trigger often causes them within the past 12 months to stop interacting with the brand or organization, or to stop purchasing the product. The flashpoint often points directly to “operational execution”:

• Products or services fail to deliver on promises (34%)

• The brand mishandles crises or makes improper mistakes in response (29%)

• Poor business ethics (27%)

In addition, communication issues also weaken a brand’s credibility. 25% of people in Hong Kong said that exaggerated or misleading promotions would cause them to back away. At the same time, 24% of respondents said they would leave after choosing not to, because the brand did not respond after receiving feedback.

By comparison, the direct impact of brand spokespersons or influencers (KOLs) in this “credibility crisis” is lower. Only 15% of respondents said they would stop interacting with a relevant brand because the spokesperson or KOL lost credibility.

Mainstream media and official channels help build credibility Only 30% trust brand information provided by KOLs

Many brands use different media to build a good reputation. The survey found that 58% of respondents believed mainstream media helps enhance the credibility of brand information, and 50% agreed that official channels are credible.

In contrast, only 30% of people in Hong Kong said that content from influencers or KOLs enhances the credibility of brand information. Common indicators in digital marketing—including professional and well-crafted content (8%), engagement and share counts on social media (16%), and creator content emphasizing “authenticity” (12%)—have the lowest influence when people in Hong Kong evaluate the credibility of information from brands or organizations.

Shikialie Stone, CEO of Ogilvy PR Hong Kong, said that data shows a brand’s “credibility” is enough to determine whether consumers stay or leave. The Hong Kong survey results reflect a broader trend across the Asia-Pacific region: consumer churn sometimes shows obvious signals, but more often happens quietly. Social media is undoubtedly effective in increasing a brand’s reach and exposure, but it is quite limited in building deeper “credibility,” and can even raise doubts.

Therefore, Stone said companies must recognize that online public sentiment or complaints are only the tip of the iceberg; those subtle, silently disappearing consumer behaviors are the “invisible killer” that harms a brand’s survival.

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