Audiences seek authenticity in a brand’s purpose
Michael Beverland, Author and Academic
The modern consumer knows what they stand for, what they want, and expect brands to be authentic and reflective of their identity in their marketing. However, Michael’s standpoint was that all brand marketing is inauthentic, with the main objective being to sell a product or brand.
Therefore, the brand’s goal is to ensure they can tell their story with convincing authenticity even though what they stand for is an ever-changing vision. Michael Beverland, Head of Strategy and Marketing at the University of Sussex, and author of “Building Brand Authenticity: 7 Habits of Iconic Brands”, talked through how brands can achieve this marketing challenge.
Michael showcased a variety of case-studies, showing brands who have tried “too hard” to craft a purpose and consequently, have lost consumers. In these examples, consumers were able to see through the façade of a brand promoting something that they obviously did not truly support, and have therefore come across as inauthentic, leading to consumers to turn their back on them. He also illustrated brands who have excelled at storytelling their purpose to an audience, stuck to their values through opposition, and ensured staff are on-board with their mission.
Consumers are more likely to disconnect from a brand if they believe they are being disingenuous in their message. In today’s cluttered market, it’s not good enough for brands to simply ‘say’ what their intentions or purpose are, as it needs to be ‘felt’ by the audience to be genuine. Humans are naturally goal-driven and want to see a purpose in action, communicated to them in a meaningful way, in order for it to be authentic.
