Branding Articles

Most brands want relevance without sacrifice. But the brands that truly matter are defined not by what they say—but by what they give up. If you can’t clearly state what your brand is willing to sacrifice, you don’t have a strategy—you have a wish list.

A belief once hit you like lightning, cracking your ribs open—a truth that built your company, your fight, your why. Now it’s fading. You chase trends, and your brand’s dying, hollowed out, a ghost peddling noise instead of shaking the world.

Your brand isn't the polished story you craft—it's the shadow shaped by your everyday decisions, compromises, and unseen actions. Authenticity emerges when belief is passionately embodied, not just proclaimed.

Fear keeps your brand safe. Belief makes it unstoppable. Every leadership decision stems from one of these two forces—fear holds you back, convincing you to protect the status quo, while belief pushes you forward, inspiring bold action and deeper trust. The brands that lead don’t play it safe. They act with conviction. The question is—what’s driving your leadership?

Trust doesn’t live in what you say—it lives in what you deliver. Every time your brand’s words and actions don’t align, trust erodes, customers walk, and employees disengage. This disconnect—the Say-Do Gap®—is a silent killer of credibility, loyalty, and growth. The brands that win don’t just talk; they prove their belief every day. Does yours?

Comfort Is Killing Your Brand
Standing still feels safe, but it’s stagnation. Fear convinces you to hesitate, costing trust, relevance, and growth. Bold, belief-driven action is the only way forward. What bold move would you make if fear weren’t holding you back? Staying comfortable isn’t strategy—it’s surrender.

Brand loyalty has shifted from transactional rewards to shared values and belief systems. Consumers prioritize brands that align with their convictions and demonstrate genuine commitment. To thrive, brands must define their core beliefs, close the say-do gap, and build community around meaningful engagement.

Trust is essential for brand success, yet many leaders fail to align actions with stated values, resulting in a Say-Do Gap®. This disconnect damages consumer trust, employee engagement, and overall brand loyalty. Effective leadership is crucial for closing this gap and ensuring organizational success.

In a world of radical transparency, clever marketing isn’t enough. If your brand’s actions don’t align with its core belief, you’re not just losing customers—you’re forfeiting the opportunity to create lasting loyalty and turn customers into advocates.

According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 57% of consumers believe brands don’t deliver on what they claim to stand for. This isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a crisis. At the center of it lies the Say-Do Gap®, a silent assassin that’s steadily killing your brand’s credibility.

The old branding playbook—which relies on polished appearances to inspire trust—is not just outdated; it’s dangerous. People don’t trust what’s pretty; they trust what’s real. And what’s real is built on substance.

Fear disguises itself as practicality while slowly killing your brand. Your customers don't want perfect marketing—they want proof of belief in action. The greatest risk isn't bold change, but staying the same while competitors move forward. It's time to lead with conviction, not caution.

It's a stark disconnect between what a brand say and what it does, leaving behind disappointed consumer expectations and hindered business growth.

In the realm of Gen Z, brands are not just labels; they are living, breathing entities expected to embody a deeper belief consistently.

Finding ways to stay ahead of the competitive curve can be challenging, but we have found a creative solution through the power of belief.

It's not surprising that many organizations run out of steam before the big reveal of the new brand. This is where a brand implementation plan comes in handy.

Learn about The Say-Do Gap™ and how a brand’s disconnect between their belief and actions can lead to dire consequences. Explore strategies for bridging the gap, including authenticity, internal alignment, consistency in messaging, employee empowerment, and collaborations. Enhance trust and credibility by aligning values with tangible actions.

Selecting the perfect name for your brand is a critical step in the branding process. A well-crafted brand name can resonate with your target audience, convey your brand’s values, and set you apart from competitors. But, the process of finding the ideal name can be challenging and time-consuming. This article will provide valuable tips to...

Rebranding can be a complex process and requires a lot of planning. At BLVR®, we know managing stakeholders through change (A.K.A Change Management) is just as important as doing the work.  After all, rebranding is not just about changing your logo or brand name; it’s about having your organization adopt a complete overhaul of your...

A new ROI has emerged in today’s rapidly evolving market: Return on Belief™ (ROB). Numerous studies have shown that belief-led brands consistently achieve higher growth rates in all aspects of their business. This new ROI considers that a company’s belief system can drive profits, recognition, trust, innovation, and social impact. In this article, we have...

Nike, the renowned athletic apparel and footwear brand, operated initially under the name “Blue Ribbon Sports” when it was founded in 1964. However, in 1971, the founders decided to rebrand the company. They considered various options, such as “Dimension 6” and “Peregrine,” but eventually settled on “Nike,” inspired by the Greek goddess of victory. Could...

Learn how to use a brand roadshow as a powerful tool to socialize new brand direction across an organization and gain stakeholder support.

Rebranding is an exciting time for any business, but it can also be a complex and challenging process. While the brand development process is essential, developing a well-thought-out brand implementation plan is just as important. But what does success look like? In this article, we’ll explore four essential elements to master brand implementation: treating it...

Rebranding is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning, execution, and management to succeed. After doing hundreds of branding projects at BLVR®, we know that these projects often come with a special range of challenges that can stand in the way of the most impact. We also know that the smartest solutions to solving these...

The moment has arrived for your organization to take a plunge into enhancing your brand’s worth. You may have heard of the buzzwords “rebrand” and “refresh,” but don’t be misled, as they are not interchangeable concepts. Although both tactics aim to improve a brand’s reputation, they differ in scope and approach. The question then arises...

Rebranding can be a daunting task for any company, big or small. It requires careful planning, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the company’s values, mission, and culture. Unsurprisingly, a successful rebrand can breathe new life into a company, making it more relevant, appealing, and memorable to its target audience. However, rebranding can also...

Discover the importance of brand architecture frameworks and their benefits in creating a clear and cohesive brand strategy. Explore four main brand architecture models - Branded House, House of Brands, Endorsed, and Hybrid - and learn how they can help you build a strong brand identity while connecting with the right audience. Gain key takeaways for developing a successful brand architecture that aligns with your business needs and enhances your branding efforts.

Brand architecture is an essential aspect of business strategy, particularly for companies that have grown through mergers and acquisitions or that have diversified their product or service offerings. It involves the creation of a hierarchy that organizes a company’s brands in a way that aligns with its goals, values, and strengths while meeting the needs...

Discover the key triggers that indicate it's time to assess your brand architecture. Learn how to address audience confusion, enhance cross-selling, leverage brand equity, integrate new acquisitions, and optimize for potential sell-offs. Evaluating and adapting your brand architecture can lead to increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved customer loyalty, positioning your business for long-term success in a dynamic market.

Discover the power of brand architecture and how it builds a strong foundation for your business. Learn how organizing and presenting your brands, products, and services can improve customer perception, streamline offerings, facilitate brand extension, and establish a clear brand identity. Find out how brand architecture helps you differentiate from competitors and drive loyalty, ultimately leading to increased revenue and profitability.

Discover the dangers of woke-washing and the importance of brand authenticity. Learn how brands can build trust, credibility, and positive impact by aligning their actions with their values. Avoid the pitfalls of woke-washing and create authentic connections with consumers.

Discover the importance of brand transparency in building consumer trust. Learn what brand transparency entails and how companies like Patagonia and Salesforce have successfully implemented it. Find out why transparency matters, the consequences of failing to be transparent, and practical steps companies can take to demonstrate transparency. Gain insights into how transparency can help businesses earn customer loyalty and foster a positive impact on society and the environment.

This article explores how to create a belief-led brand in 9 simple steps. We break down the actionalble framework to discover your brands belief, craft the right brand strategy, and execute a plan to bring your belief-led brand to life. This actionable framework lets you see every step of the brand transformation process.

In this article, we explore the newest brand-building strategy - Belief-led brand transformation. This revolutionary concept goes beyond a standard rebranding project to create a resilient legacy brands built on a strong foundation of loyal customers. It’s time to grow toward something greater. It’s time for Belief-Led Transformation.

Brands have been building their customer experience (CX) backwards — perfecting operation mechanics first and retrofitting the brand second, like a cosmetic fix. Companies with the strongest brand loyalty have found a synergy between providing high quality products and delighting consumers through unforgettable customer experience (CX). As summarized by Annette Franz, founder and CEO of CX...

Building a successful organization isn’t just about having a great product or service. It’s about creating a brand that resonates with your target audience, and communicates your values and mission effectively. Brand architecture is the foundation of a strong brand, and it’s what sets successful businesses apart from their competitors. Brand architecture refers to the...

In an inaugural piece for Fast Company, Scott Seton Hancock, BLVR CEO, breaks down why leaders should walk the talk of their brands.

In this article, we explore the newest brand-building strategy - Belief-led brand transformation. This revolutionary concept goes beyond a standard rebranding project to create a resilient legacy brands built on a strong foundation of loyal customers. It’s time to grow toward something greater. It’s time for Belief-Led Transformation.

Meet the new consumer segment changing the rule book - the Stand for More Generation. The most ethical & socially conscious generation ever.

This article was written based on an Employee Branding presentation by BLVR® Strategist Cara Rodgers. The Great Resignation is a recent phenomenon that has taken over America’s professional world. With so much turnover across industries, it can be hard for leaders to know how to keep their employees engaged and content. As a branding consultancy,...

As brand work continues to be an undeniably powerful asset for companies, it raises an important question: “How can I clearly demonstrate the impact of brand initiatives with quantifiable results?” When strong brands are built and cultivated, we see their ability to influence growth internally, by building brand equity and company success, and externally, by...

Having a useful market landscape can be a valuable framework and tool to reach a desired position in the market, but remember it is still just a framework. Think of a time you’ve been sitting in a meeting with an agency, or a marketing department. Among the typical discussions of competition and differentiators that sometimes...

The actions your brand takes will be the best source of a strong brand-customer relationship and the basis of consistent brand success WHY DO BEHAVIORS MATTER? Since behaviors are visual impressions, and we perceive about 80 percent of all impressions via sight, what you do, especially what your customers see you do, matters massively to...

Great brands position themselves not by what they sell, but by what their products can do for their customers, on an emotional and philosophical level. Building a brand that will stand the test of time is no easy feat — that may be the understatement of the century. But just because a company has been...

To connect deeply with your customer’s beliefs and create posit, your brand has to stand by its convictions. It may be counterintuitive, but being disliked by some people usually means you are building your brand the right way. The best brands inspire love and loyalty and accept that being disliked is an inevitable symptom of...

Your Organization’s Most Valuable Asset In this post, we will explore how your company can turn customers into loyal Brand Believers, individuals who believe in your brand so fervently they passionately evangelize about it to others. “Turn consumers into evangelists, not just customers.” —Steve Jobs What Exactly is a Brand Believer? A Brand Believer is...

TALK IS CHEAP You can tell a lot about a person by their behavior because who we are on a day-to-day basis is the greatest testament to what we believe. Our behaviors are what bring our beliefs to life; they are what make our convictions and ideologies known. The people we love, how we love...

WHAT IS BRAND BELIEF? Our beliefs guide us. They help formulate our convictions, our values, our code of ethics. They determine our response in the face of conflict and guide us in how we behave each day. Every human being has a set of beliefs that define what he or she does, and how he...

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE A STRONG BRAND? Welcome to this introduction to a three-part series on The Heart of Brand Success. Over the next three weeks, we’ll delve into the importance of making Brand Belief, walking the talk through Brand Behavior, and the magic of creating loyal Brand Believers. Here’s a little sneak peek of...

In 1992 two beer enthusiasts started Ballast Point in the back room of their San Diego home brew store. Fast forward to 2015 Ballast Point makes craft brew history being acquired by alcoholic beverage conglomerate constellation brands inc for a hefty one billion dollars. Yes, that’s right, one billion dollars. Based on last year’s sales...

In today’s age of radical transparency, brands can no longer hide. With the rise of social media, customer reviews, and whistleblowers, the relationship between brands and consumers has fundamentally changed. And the stakes couldn’t be higher.