Beyond the ‘99.9%’ claim : How MoveIt’s case reflects the fine line between trust and overstatement

The fact that ‘no one and nothing is perfect’ is a common narrative that is universally accepted. A single flaw depicts humanness, a small mistake can easily be claimed as an honest one, and that, in the grand scheme of things, a mistake can be corrected. Sometimes easily, hence often denied.

In a marketing standpoint, mistakes could be part of a brand’s selling point: a single misspelled word could be part of a catchphrase, an exaggerated campaign might just be the actual message, and in total, there is no actual ratio to measure what is sound, what is just, what is right or wrong—however, there is a thin line in using this status quo as an advantage—especially, when claimed truths are backed by zero facts.

Following the recent surge of mixed reactions with MoveIt, a ride-hailing mobile app in the Philippines’ post about its ‘99.9%’ safety claim, MARKETECH-APAC reached out to industry leaders, Ron Jabal DBA, APR, PAGEONE Group’s chairman and CEO, and Ana Pista, Ardent Communications’ founder and CEO—to understand how a brand’s efficiency can never score a hundred percent.

From marketing lines to public commitments

If there’s one thing that both leaders agreed upon, it is in the fact that a brand’s credibility should not rely on perfection. Especially now, that audiences and the generation per se are adamant to call out baseless claims.

From a communication and brand standpoint, Ron underscored that credibility and reputation shouldn’t be built on perfection, thus on authenticity.

“When companies and brands declare confidence rates such as being ‘99.999% safe, this claim must be backed with reliable and verifiable data, transparent methodologies, and independent validation,” Ron explained.

Otherwise, he argued, the communication then shifts from being persuasive to performative; thus, this unveils the brands’ potential “call outs” from consumers.

This was echoed by Ana, “Brands should never claim perfection—they should claim progress with proof. When you say something like ‘99.999% safe,’ you’re making a promise that must stand on data, context, and transparency. It’s not enough to say you’re efficient — you have to show how you measured it, over what period, and who validated it.”

Ana also drew that from here. Moveit could clarify how the figure was determined as their next step, “Turn this into a positive — maybe by releasing a short transparency report or data visual showing what that safety rate really means in real-world terms. Honesty and openness always win back trust.”

She added that when numbers are shared publicly, they turn from marketing lines to public commitments. This is why brands, according to Ana, should be responsible for explaining their metrics.

From experience, Ron also stated some missteps that brands often make in curating campaigns, with prioritising speed over substance listed as first. He described this as ‘posting claims without rigorous validation’.

On the same note, brands, according to him, also forget that postings on different platforms require different tones, “Even language and phrasing messages need to suit well the platforms. No one-size-fits-all approach as everything is tailor-fitted to stakeholders/audiences and purpose.”

Ron added, “In truth, real efficiency comes from message authenticity and coherence and stakeholder trust.”

Sharing the same sentiment, Ana highlighted that another common mistake brands make is when they opt to chase visibility instead of consistency.

“You can be everywhere, but if your message sounds different on every platform, you lose credibility fast. Many brands rush to make bold claims across social, press, and ads without aligning with operations or legal. That’s where problems start. The marketing team says ‘100% safe,’ while the operations team knows that’s not realistic. The gap between those two is what the public sees,” Ana noted.

Ana also suggested that MoveIt tighten its internal review process before any public claim goes out. 

“Aligning marketing, PR, and operations ensures that what’s promised outside matches what’s practiced inside. In PR, efficiency isn’t about posting more — it’s about sounding the same truthfully everywhere.”

Inside the frameworks that help brands measure progress

Drawing from these insights, it is best to say that reverting priorities from pursuing perfection to consistent and fact-based brand communication is the best approach. Both leaders noted suggestions and actionable steps in heading towards brand authenticity beyond claims.

For Ron, it is highly important to communicate progress, not perfection. “For example, instead of saying/claiming “we are 100% safe,” a more credible statement would be, “we continuously improve our safety systems to protect riders and drivers, and here are the initiatives what we have done, and here are the other programs we are going to do  next.” 

When done this way, he added, brands become clearly positioned as ‘confident, yet humble; ambitious, yet accountable’

He also listed evaluation measures that are heavy on a blended approach:

• Output metrics – measuring reach, engagement, and share of voice.
• Outcome metrics – measures changes in perception, trust, or advocacy that are measured through reputation tracking tools or sentiment analysis.
• Impact metrics – alignment with business goals, such as increased trial, retention, or customer satisfaction.

On the other hand, Ana remarked that if she were working for MoveIt, setting clear benchmarks would likely reduce misinformation by half in three months, consequently improving safety-related positive mentions by 15%.

“That’s measurable progress, not empty claims. You can’t manage what you don’t measure — and you can’t claim credibility if you don’t track trust,” she expounded.

Ana outlined that the industry has moved past counting likes and mentions, “Today, we measure trust recovery, sentiment shift, and message recall. Those tell us if communication truly worked.”

Both leaders also shared that they follow frameworks to measure strategically, with Ron at PAGONE Group utilising two frameworks, such as the Reputation Capital (RepCap) Framework and the Reputation Stability Framework (RSF). 

Explaining the RepCap framework, Ron described this as a form of strategic capital that quantifies reputation. This measures how much trust, goodwill, and credibility an organisation has built with its stakeholders, translating into tangible business outcomes like customer loyalty, investor confidence, and policy support.

“Through a combination of both quantitative and qualitative measures such as sentiment scores, media coverage quality, and leadership behavior, RepCap provides a composite score reflecting overall reputation health and resilience,” Ron explained.

Alongside this, they also use the RSF tool that focuses on the durability of stakeholder trust: measuring the stability and resilience of a company’s reputation in times of crisis, controversy, or disruption.

This generates a Reputation Stability Index (RSI), which indicates whether a brand’s reputation is fragile, stable, or resilient. On their end, this helps to anticipate vulnerabilities and strengthen their trust reserves before crises hit.

On one hand, Ana from Ardent Communications utilises the AMEC Framework and the Barcelona Principles. According to Ana, this ‘reminds us that effectiveness isn’t about how loud you are, but how you change minds and behavior.’

In MoveIt’s case, as shared by Ana, these frameworks could mean tracking how sentiment toward ‘MoveIt + safety’ improves month-on-month.

Beyond these frameworks, both leaders highlighted the necessity of agency-client collaboration, both noting that this aids in making sure partnerships are successful. Ron also noted that the ‘most successful partnerships are those where agencies act as strategic allies, not as mere vendors/suppliers.’

“Ultimately, a more mature partnership between agency and client can help clients balance business objectives with accountability and help push brand purpose with authenticity and public trust,” Ron remarked.

Moreover, Ana supported this by stating that collaboration between client and agency is not optional, but rather is mission-critical. 

“You can’t communicate what you don’t understand, and you can’t understand if you’re not sitting at the same table. The best campaigns happen when data and creativity meet halfway—when the client shares real numbers and the agency crafts honest stories around them,” Ana narrated.

Additionally, Ana noted that when agencies are given full visibility, such as raw data, operational updates, and even crisis reports, they are capable of crafting messages that are aspirational but still grounded in truth.

“That’s where efficiency meets authenticity. I’d recommend MoveIt set regular transparency briefings with its communications team or agency. When both sides share information openly, you prevent overstatements, and you build a reputation that lasts longer than a hashtag,” Ana expounded.

More than the percentages

In an era where audiences can fact-check in seconds and demand transparency in every post, perfection has lost its persuasive power. What stands out instead is consistency, the kind that connects claims to context, numbers to narratives, and marketing to measurable truth.

“In today’s environment, credibility is the new currency. You don’t buy it with ads — you earn it with truth. Every statement, every post, every number must say one thing: ‘We mean what we claim.’ That’s how brands build trust that sticks,” Ana finaled.

As both Ron Jabal and Ana Pista emphasised, credibility begins where overstatement ends. It’s in the willingness to explain, to prove, and to align what is said with what is done. For brands like MoveIt and others navigating the thin line between confidence and credibility, the path forward isn’t about claiming the missing one percent; it’s about owning the process of getting there, openly and honestly.