Deepfake Advertising, Cognitive Dissonance, and the Future of Consumer Trust

This study investigates the space of advertising using the lens of deepfake technology, cognitive dissonance, and consumer trust as they help companies create hyper-authentic yet potentially deceitful content with deepfakes, traditional notions of authenticity in marketing are being tested. One significant problem is cognitive dissonance, which occurs when users feel uneasy about the possibility that the information they received was fabricated or deceptive. This behavior can undermine consumer trust, raise suspicion, and damage brand reputation. This paper explores how consumers mentally process deepfake ads and how the cognitive dissonance generated by perceiving manipulation will affect trust in the long run. We discuss strategies that can be used to implement ethical practices in a deepfake-influenced advertising space, to protect the consumer relationship and brand integrity. Keywords: Deepfake Advertising, Consumer Trust, Cognitive Dissonance, Ethical Marketing, Digital Manipulation, Brand Authenticity