How to be predictable without being boring. My guide to brand identity.
A look at why brand identity is essential for both a business and a personal brand.
Authenticity and dependability build trust
Brand integrity is essential when it comes to business and personal branding because it defines the character of your brand and sets you apart from the competition. Customers, partners and other stakeholders place their trust in a company or person with a high level of integrity, which in turn helps build long-term relationships and loyalty. A company or person with strong brand integrity can also withstand difficult situations because they are more likely to be viewed as honest and trustworthy. Brand integrity is also important for personal brands since it allows individuals to showcase their core values and remain consistent across different platforms, helping them create an authentic online presence.
Research has shown that people who are seen as boring may actually have more trustworthiness and be more reliable than those who are seen as exciting. For example, a study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that people with stereotypically boring characteristics were seen as more trustworthy than those with exciting characteristics.
Don’t aspire to be boring though.
Aspire to be consistent, to be valued and to grow the trust and loyalty of your customer base, your employees and your wider network.
Let us make sense of it for you
A short-form summary:
Brand integrity is the measure of how customers perceive a business and its products, services and values.
High brand integrity increases trust, loyalty, and allows brands to stand out from their competitors.
To maintain high brand integrity, businesses must uphold their brand standards consistently and ensure they deliver a replicable experience across all customer touchpoints.
Listen to the audio version of the blog below or click the button to read it.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Here we share some related reading that we found interesting on the topic of clickbait headlines and brand reputation.
4 Factors That Directly Impact Your Brand’s Integrity by EasyPost
Brand Integrity: What is it and Why is it Important? By Channelsight
For SMEs, Distinctiveness Is Crucial for Brand Identity and Reputation by International
What not to do…
Brands that lose their way have to work extra hard.
There are a number of brands that have experienced negative press in recent years. One example is Starbucks, which faced criticism over its tax avoidance practices in the UK as well as its lack of globally sustainable business practices. The company has since taken steps to address these issues and is now considered to be a leader in sustainability.
Apple also faced criticism following revelations that the company was using cheap labor from Chinese factories to produce their products. Apple has since implemented stricter labor rights policies and works closely with suppliers to ensure fair working conditions for its employees.
McDonald's has also been subject to bad press, largely due to accusations that it is contributing to global obesity rates by providing unhealthy food options for customers. The fast food giant has addressed this issue by offering healthier menu options and providing nutritional information on every product they offer.
The lesson? Overall, these examples show how even large and well-known brands can face negative criticism at times, and that any brand will be called out if it’s felt it is not acting with integrity.
It is important for any brand, big or small, to remain aware of public opinion and work hard to maintain positive relationships with their customers. The primary driver shouldn’t be in order to avoid bad press, but to present a clear and memorable proposition to everyone that comes across your business.
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