Authenticity has become one of those words that gets dropped into briefs and comms meetings, without anyone stopping to define what they mean by it. How many times have you been asked “can we make it feel more authentic?”
At the same time, AI has made it possible to generate a photo of a service user who doesn’t exist or a testimonial in thirty seconds. It’s fast and cheap content creation. But this use of AI is exactly why authenticity matters now, more than ever!
Our research into AI-generated imagery in the charity sector found that over half of organisations already using it aren’t consistently labelling it as AI-generated content, and the vast majority are unclear on what they’re legally required to disclose. Meanwhile the public says that AI transparency matters to them. People trust a brand less when they find out content was made with AI, and most say disclosure is important.
Charities don’t traditionally have a product to sell, what we have is a vision and services. So while commercial brands can chase efficiency and scale to sell their stock, we can’t afford to erode the one thing that persuades someone to give to us or back our cause: trust.
This is our chance to be the sector the public trusts most when it comes to the ethics of content and AI responsibility. The good news is that authenticity isn’t an aesthetic. It’s not a shaky handheld shot or an unlit room. It’s a set of choices you can make deliberately, on every project, regardless of budget. Here are five of them to get you started….
1. Let the person whose story it is lead
Real authenticity means your contributor has a say in how their story is told, what’s included, and what isn’t. It’s a creative partnership, where they haven’t been edited into a version of themselves that only serves your campaign.
When we worked with The Bike Project on a fundraising film that could work for both an upcoming event and future appeals, storyteller Amina decided how, what and where she would be filmed. She decided what parts of her identity and story could be shown. Letting go of control can feel scary but the results will blow you away!
And despite our pinched timeline of two weeks, we were able to capture something that really worked and let the Amina lead her story
2. Resist the urge to over-produce
Raw doesn’t necessarily mean lo-fi. It’s about giving the story the space and respect it deserves. For example, we don’t use slow motion at The Saltways because we believe it can manipulate a feeling rather than letting people feel what they’re going to feel anyway.
Ask yourself, at every edit decision, whether you’re serving the story or serving a mood you’ve decided the audience should have.
3. Show your working, not just your wins
Transparency means being open about how you work, not only what you achieve. The good, the bad and the difficult parts should all be included. Audiences are more sceptical than they’ve ever been, and showing them complexity, rather than a highlight reel, is what builds trust.
4. Tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable
Authentic storytelling isn’t about pity, and it isn’t about using someone’s pain to make your organisation look good. Full, honest stories can be joyful and empowering as much as they’re difficult. If a story only works because it makes your beneficiary look helpless, ask yourself if that is the right message to communicate.
When we worked with PACT, we knew how important it was to let the full, honest story be told.
5. If you use AI, say so
If AI has played a part in your content, disclose it. At a minimum, say the image was created or edited using AI. Better still, explain why you used it instead of photography or editors.
Some charities also share the prompt, use alt text that makes AI’s role clear, and point people to their AI policy. The charities that get ahead of this now, rather than waiting for someone else to raise it for them, are the ones who’ll keep supporters’ trust when the conversation about ethical use of AI gets louder.
The barrier isn’t budget or skill
In every charity we’ve worked with, the organisations that struggle with authentic content aren’t struggling because of a technical problem. They’re struggling because of an institutional one. Authentic storytelling asks you to trust your contributors enough to let them lead, trust your audience enough to show them complexity, and trust yourselves enough to be transparent about what you don’t yet know.
Your organisation can embrace authentic content. You just need a willingness to slow down and make decisions on purpose, rather than by default. Every charity, whatever its size, can start today.
That’s exactly what we’ll be digging into at the Charity Film Festival on 24 September at Rich Mix. Alongside workshops on finding your story and making the most of what’s in your pocket, we’ll be hearing directly from charities who are living this every day. If you work in comms or fundraising and want to leave with tools you can actually use, we’d love to see you there.
