Behind the Scenes of Brand Transparency: Cristel Russell Explores What Brands Should (and Shouldn't) Reveal

In a new Journal of Marketing article, Pepperdine Graziadio professor Cristel Russell explores how brands use behind-the-scenes experiences, such as factory tours, visitor centers, and brand museums, to create a sense of transparency without fully revealing operational secrets. Her research shows that these curated encounters play a powerful role in shaping consumer trust, authenticity, and loyalty.

As consumers increasingly expect brands to "open up," companies invite them into spaces that feel like the organizational backstage. Russell finds that these brand backstories are inherently fragile: revealing too little can feel evasive, while revealing too much can threaten safety, intellectual property, and brand control. Instead, brands rely on selectively disclosive storytelling that balances revelation and concealment.

Drawing on a longitudinal, multimethod study of four brand backstory sites, the article reframes transparency as a performed experience. Using dramaturgical theory, Russell identifies three dimensions that shape successful backstory performances: staging spaces and artifacts, orchestrating employees and guides, and tailoring scripts to explain what is shared—and why some boundaries remain.

Ultimately, the research shows that well-designed backstory experiences create a credible sense of insider access while preserving necessary limits, offering marketers practical guidance for designing authentic, engaging, and safe brand experiences.

Read more here.