In a 2021 survey, an overwhelming 86 percent of consumers said brand authenticity is a key consideration when choosing brands to support. So, if your brand doesn’t appear authentic to your target audience, there’s a good chance you’re leaving money on the table.
Yet, if you’re not a branding expert, you might not know how to tell whether a brand is authentic, let alone build one. Or maybe you’re planning a rebranding campaign, and this time you want to focus on authenticity.
Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn what makes a brand authentic.
Authentic Brands Have Highly Relatable Missions
A mission is a key part of not just a business, but also a brand. Your mission is what your business is all about; what it aims to achieve.
While every business owner is free to pursue whatever mission they choose, missions don’t have an equal impact, especially when you’re trying to build an authentic brand. An impactful mission is one that’s relatable to your target audience.
For example, let’s say your business is a mental health clinic, and your target audience/market is military veterans. You want a mission that touches on at least one of the many challenges veterans face after they leave the military.
An authentic brand is true to its mission. Your business should take practical steps to pursue its mission; otherwise, you’ll lose the trust of your audience.
Honesty and Transparency
In the world of social media, not a day goes before you hear of a brand scandal. Although scandals and crises are part of running any business, it’s the response to these events that sets brands apart.
Some brands are outright dishonest and opaque, unwilling to divulge any useful information to their audiences. Some will even lie in a bid to overcome a scandal.
Authentic brands don’t do that. On the contrary, they’re honest and transparent; always truthful and ready to apologize for their mistakes.
A Unique Visual Identity
Think of any brand. What first comes to mind? It’s not its mission. It’s the logo, colors, fonts…the visual elements.
Your brand’s visual identity is key for raising awareness and making it more memorable. It also goes a long way in giving it an authentic look and feel.
To achieve this, ensure your brand has a unique or original visual identity. If the visual theme is similar to that of an already existing brand, your brand will come off as a copycat.
Hiring banding specialists to craft your visual identity gives you the best chance of building a unique brand. Check out these services to learn more.
An Authentic Brand Is a Winning Brand
In a competitive marketplace, brand authenticity goes a long way. Consumers want to support authentic brands. Several things go into building a brand that exudes authenticity, but the ones fleshed out above– a clear mission, unique visual identity, and transparency –are some of the most critical.
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