South Africa, July 17 -- The latest Havas Prosumer Report reveals a striking truth: 44% of people trust a brand more when it's recommended by someone, they follow online, while 40% value transparency and easy access to product provenance.

This is the new reality. Influence is no longer owned by brands, it is shared with the people who experience, discuss, and advocate for them. And in this age of the prosumer - a hybrid of producer and consumer - one thing has become clear: attention can be captured, but trust must be earned.

The rise of the prosumer

The prosumer has rewritten the rules. No longer submissive receivers of brand messages; they investigate, compare, challenge, and co-create. They read reviews, ask AI for guidance, and sha...