*By Michael Teich*
Uber has spent millions of dollars on an ad campaign in which its chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, tries to win back customers' trust after the ride-hailing company was beset by scandals and a slumping reputation.
The ad was a departure for Uber, but a necessary one because "we're in an environment where people want to hate," said the Wall Street Journal reporter Suzanne Vranica.
Uber, Wells Fargo and Facebook, which all endured a backlash from customers related to corporate missteps, have spent more than $60 million recently to protect their public image, according to research from iSpot.
"You can’t discount trust," said Vranica in an interview Thursday with Cheddar. And though users may still be logging on to Facebook, their behavior could change as they lose faith in the platform.
"Long term, it will impede ability to attract advertising dollars," she said. "It takes a long time to evaluate to see if it's a problem. That's why they need to spend so much money."
The social media company's stock plummeted after it was reported that it failed to protect the private data of 87 million users exposed in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Facebook shares climbed back near all-time highs as investors' concerns appeared to wane after the company reported user growth in its last quarterly earnings that appeared to be unaffected by the scandal.
Vranica still warned, these are "long-term problems that could eat away at your brand" and "overall brand health really matters."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-cost-of-regaining-customer-trust).
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
Hear from Gabino & Stephen Roche on Saphyre’s institutional AI platform that centralizes pre‑ and post‑trade data, redefining settlement speed and accuracy.
Elon Musk’s X has reached a tentative settlement with former employees of the company then known as Twitter who’d sued for $500 million in severance pay.
