Branding Authentically: Algorithms, Audience Trust, and Sharing the Real (feat. Dr. Shanetta Pendleton)

Dr. Shanetta Pendleton is an assistant professor of strategic communications at Elon University and an authenticity scholar studying how organizations use social media to build genuine relationships with minority audiences. From Instagram statements to corporate policies, Dr. Pendleton maps the cues people use to judge perceived authenticity—why sustained action beats statements—and how to design pro-social authenticity that doesn’t just game the algorithm. This episode of Being Authentic AF was produced by Brandon Talton. Original music written and performed by John Fichera.