Brand Actions Speak Louder Than Brand Words
Written by Ashley DeCarli
(3-minute read)
The phrase “actions speak louder than words” is so common, it’s almost cliché. But cliché or not, its five words hold a fundamental truth — spoken claims and promises may excite but prove empty without follow-through. It’s in actions, not words, that meaning is found and true character is revealed.
Businesses would be wise to adopt this OLD SENTIMENT as their NEW BRAND STANDARD. Some, like Patagonia, already have. For example, in the company’s decision to stop selling co-branded apparel to corporations with lackluster environmental standards, Patagonia showed the world that they practice their brand promise. They proved their commitment to the environment was more than just a claim; it was something they were willing to take a financial hit for. That brand-led business action made a much greater impact on customer loyalty than any brand-led advertising campaign could.
Most businesses have not yet considered how their brand can or should influence their business actions beyond marketing, but unfortunately, those businesses can no longer afford to wait.
Brands like Patagonia are few. Most businesses have not yet considered how their brand can or should influence their business actions beyond marketing, but unfortunately, those businesses can no longer afford to wait. Consumer expectations have already elevated. Now, consumers are judging and choosing brands based on what they actually do, not just what they say. Yes, message and story are still important, but they’re no longer enough, not even close. Why? For two important reasons:
1. Consumers are more empowered than ever. Long gone are the days in which advertising served as the dominant source of brand insight. The internet, social media and globalization have democratized information sharing, giving consumers access to reliable information about any business. They know and care about how companies operate, source materials, produce products, treat their employees and value other consumers like them. And not only are they empowered with access, they have audiences. Consumers have the power to communicate directly with large audiences of their own, evangelizing the brands they believe in and holding accountable the brands that fall short.
2. Consumers seek purpose from the brands they support. Brands have always played a role in consumer identity — the clothes you wear or the car you drive, for better or worse, say something about you — but today, that identity factor goes far beyond the superficial. Consumers prefer to purchase products and services that allow them to act on their own values and beliefs. They want to live purposefully and have discovered they can do so through their everyday brand choices. When consumers choose to support businesses like the earlier example, Patagonia, that act in accordance with their brand purpose, they get to assume that purpose as their own. The purpose, not just the label, becomes a part of their personal identity.
In a world where consumers are tapped into brands at a much deeper level, skin-deep, claim-driven relationships are simply a thing of the past. Now, “brand actions” speak louder than “brand words.”
So, in a world where consumers are tapped into brands at a much deeper level, skin-deep, claim-driven relationships are simply a thing of the past. Now, “brand actions” speak louder than “brand words.” It’s time for businesses to reevaluate their brand approach — the fundamental belief their brand is rooted in and the role it plays in their business. Their brand must have the power to impact more than marketing expression — it must drive business behavior. It must become the North Star that guides business decisions across every department, discipline and function.
If you’re ready for your brand to be more than something you say, A Land Beyond is ready to help.
