Brand Authenticity — It’s More Than a Buzzword

Summary

This Insights Studio discussed the growing importance of authenticity and how brands can nurture it. It led off with a presentation by Jesse Epstein of HawkPartners on their Brand Authenticity Index. It then featured speakers from the two brands with the biggest increases in the Index’s authenticity scores – Peloton and The Ritz-Carlton – and a speaker from Pfizer, representing the industry in which authenticity is most important – Pharma.  These brands approached authenticity through different strategies and messages, each of them building on the pillars of authentic brands that Epstein presented. Epstein’s presentation was based on research with nearly 10,000 consumers who evaluated 175 brands across 14 industries. In this research, they defined authentic brands as those that:

•  Clearly communicate what they are •  Clearly communicate what they stand for and what they believe •  Live up to those values