We live in curious times where purpose has never been talked about so much in the branding world, yet it has never been so hard to trust what brands say. Emotional campaigns, manifestos full of good intentions, commitments to social, environmental, and cultural causes—everything seems impeccable. However, a slightly deeper look reveals the misalignment between speech and action. And that’s precisely where the problem lies: branding isn’t about words; it’s about consistency. Today, brands want to appear human, sustainable, innovative, and diverse. But they aren’t always willing to uphold these values when it requires sacrifice, revising processes, or losing profit. What we often see is the performance of a purpose that vanishes in everyday life, where the real test takes place.
Yet, the public is not naive. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer 2023, 71% of consumers say they would lose trust in a brand that doesn’t act in line with its stated values, even if it has good intentions. Additionally, 64% state that their purchasing decisions are guided by companies’ values. In other words, trust isn’t won through catchy phrases. It’s built with consistent choices, often invisible to the consumer’s eye but deeply revealing.
True branding happens when no one is watching—when a service failure is resolved with empathy, when an internal crisis demands courage and transparency, or when an opportunity for profit arises, but ethics call in the opposite direction. It’s in these silent, everyday moments that a brand reveals itself—or contradicts itself. Kantar reinforces this in their BrandZ Global 2022 report by showing that brands perceived as authentic and trustworthy grow up to three times more in value than those that merely maintain good communication. This isn’t about aesthetics or visibility but integrity at every touchpoint with the public, employees, and society.
Thus, the new branding doesn’t start with a logo. It starts with difficult questions: ‘Who are we?’, ‘Why do we exist?’, ‘What do we believe in so strongly that we’re unwilling to compromise?’. These answers don’t fit into a slogan but define entire cultures. They guide marketing, shape decisions, and inspire teams—especially when there’s no campaign running. A real brand communicates value even in silence. Even in the face of mistakes, it honors principles. Even under pressure, it doesn’t yield to inconsistency. And when that happens, the public notices—just as they notice when the narrative doesn’t hold up.
In the end, branding is about integrity. It’s about the promise a brand makes and the daily, often invisible, hard, and even unpopular commitment to keeping it. Every interaction with the public is a test of that integrity. And this test isn’t won with slogans but with consistent actions. In other words, a brand isn’t what you say with the microphone on—it’s what you confirm when no one is watching.
