The nature of trust between managers and researchers and its effect on the use of marketing research, particularly advertising research, is explored drawing on extensive interviews with 170 researchers and managers from 94 large advertisers, advertising agencies, and major research or consulting firms. Perspectives mentioned in the interviews show that researchers' decisions to be stubborn on points they feel strongly about or to be team players are affected by a variety of factors, including the level of trust already present in their relationships with managers. The importance of honesty in researcher-user relationships is expressed continually. Also basic to a trusting relationship is a common understanding between researchers and users with respect to each other's needs, abilities, and objectives. The ability to manage bad news is central to developing trust between researchers and managers. Researchers must provide managers with a sense of progress in answering their concerns. Believability is very important, and the researcher must have the ability to absorb uncertainty.

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