Brand authenticity making a point
You know brands have successfully acquired the trust of their clients when the client or an acquaintance proudly includes the brand into their personal identity with remarks like: “I’m a BMW person” or “For me, it’s Chanel, not Dior”. The question for marketers is: How fast can you reach this stage? How can you engage customers at a deeper level where they proudly address your brand name?
Well, brand authenticity is your answer.
Authenticity is the secret sauce that separates the transactional experience — money in exchange for a product or service with no emotional connections — from the relationship experience. It’s what turns buyers into brand disciples. Forbes
In a system overwhelmed with fake news, seamless product placement and media gossips, it can be difficult to guess what to believe in. People are often disturbed by the increasingly dismal distinction between what is real and what is not.
Researchers have acknowledged the growing emphasis on truth with proposals for brand authenticity.
Factors influencing authenticity
- the brand’s heritage
- brand nostalgia
- brand’s commercialisation
- brand clarity
- the brand’s social commitment
- brand legitimacy
- the company culture
- employee’s passion
Brand authenticity comes with a purpose
Behavioural science insights, linked with an understanding of customer attitudes, can help brands create authentic content. It engages audiences without creating doubt and distrust. This process starts with an accurate evaluation of a brand’s purpose and position in the market. The next step is to incorporate the brand’s purpose into the brand message.
A brand’s purpose can be two-fold. One is how a brand ideally perceives it to be. The other purpose is best understood thorough market research. This way you understand your user’s needs, their wants and their reasons for choosing one brand over another. Your brand is for your people. Aligning your brand’s purpose with users’ needs is a happy path for both. But do not confuse purpose with the broader concept of social responsibility. This is most often not in line with the perceived role of the brand in society and the industry.
Consistency is the key
The second step towards authenticity is when brands realise the importance of consistently improving their products and organisations. Customer needs can change, and your brand should also align with them to offer your customers the value they deserve. It is equally important, for brands to frame their messages in a way that matches with their view and with consumer perceptions of the brand culture.
Consistency should also be observed on different platforms. In today’s fragmented media ecosystem, brand messaging often varies across sources. It is necessary to create content depending on context and audience groups. It is also important to synchronise brand messages. This is because today’s customers expect their experience to be alike across mediums and platforms.
Brand authenticity with transparency
A 2016 Label Insight study revealed that nearly all consumers are likely to be loyal to transparent brands, and 73% are willing to pay more for transparency.
Consumers perceive authenticity in what they see as genuine. Brands can achieve this with content that highlights a tradition of quality making and delivery. Brands sometimes also express how their goal reflects in their products and company culture.
For example, telecom companies can highlight the ways they connect people or launch initiatives that help communication. Likewise, financial institutions can show their improvements in customer services and revitalising customer journeys. Thus emphasising on the ways, they make their customer’s lives easier for any financial transactions. Similarly say for example chocolate companies can reveal glimpses from their workshop where chocolates are made, showcasing old and new products. Thus show people the product making environment and the faces behind them. This is all to say that customers will trust a brand’s authenticity when the brand is transparent about their entire process and make people a part of it.
Show, don’t tell
Show, don’t tell. Holds good for branding as well. Customers often assess a brand’s authenticity in terms of subtle messaging hints, not just apparent gestures. Consider Patagonia’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign, which advertised the durability and longevity of their product. At the same time, the brand told their audience to be thoughtful customers. Rather than making false and out of the world claims, they gave concrete and real examples to involve their customers. The best approach is to educate the customer about how to make the best decision.
Give them real facts using simple words
A vast majority of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously, according to Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman. Listing ingredient sourcing on a food product. Or featuring a brand’s long history of quality with an old-time ad. They can be reliable ways to reach a sceptical and critical set of audience. Avoid marketing and technical jargons. Do not communicate with acronyms. Speak with your customers with emotion and clarity.
The rewards for brands are visible. A 2014 Cohn & Wolfe study shows that brand authenticity is more important than product use or innovation. Authencity largely determines the purchasing behaviour. Two-thirds of respondents were ready to choose an authentic brand over a contender. While 59% were more likely to share authentic brands with friends and family.
Authenticity comes with credibility
People connect more with brands who actively take part or express their stand on specific social issues. They maybe some cultural events or movements. When brands stand up for what they believe in people like to hear from them.
Social concerns that correspond with the brand purpose creates convincing campaigns. Ariel India’s award-winning “Share the Load” campaign promoted their detergent and equal distribution of household labour with great success. By leveraging the intersection of cleaning laundry with a relevant social issue, they conceived customers with a gripping and moving message.
Connect, reconnect
Make your brand’s presence felt among your customers. Engage in a conversation with them through online platforms or over a call. Whenever possible meet with them in person too. Listen to their stories, share your opinions and how you are looking for ways to address their difficulties. Reconnect back with them when you have your solutions in place. Brand authenticity is built not just on feedbacks. Brands must also work on the feedbacks and let their customers know that their problems have been addressed in due time. Also, you may consider building advisory panels to create a platform for open conversations between the people in your company and your stakeholders.
Brand authenticity positively affects brand relationship status. This in turn positively impacts consumers’ behavioural intentions. Thus authenticity of a brand cannot be overlooked.
graphility can help you create authentic content that will support your brand’s authenticity. Our experience design approach is strong and clear which vividly reflects your brand message.
We have just told you all about brand authenticity. Let us know what you have been doing to improve your relationship with your customers?