If a brand doesn’t build trust, then what is it’s point? The problems I see: 1.
By Mikeblack · October 22, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
If a brand doesn’t build trust, then what is it’s point?
The problems I see:
1. As brands seek to grow, they must speak to and engage with new audiences or segments who don’t have history with the brand or any reason to trust
2. Even the audiences brands have traditionally trusted relationships with are changing, so the old trust building mechanisms and messages no longer work as well
Consider the American mom. Twenty years ago, brands could reach her with a relatively narrow set of assumptions about her identity, values and priorities
Today, that same demographic represents a far more diverse, multidimensional set of identities, values and life experiences
How do brands build trust?
By connecting your brand identity with the personal identity, values and shared life experiences of your audiences
By showing up with such cultural specificity that people see themselves in your brand
And by seeing themselves, they’re more likely to trust it
The outcome of doing this well is measured by cultural resonance, which is measurably tied to growth in brand consideration
So if you’re not measuring and building cultural resonance, you’re losing trust, consideration and revenue growth on two fronts
⚫️The new audiences that represent the growth of tomorrow
⚫️ The traditiinal audiences you’ve always grown with whose changing world and context no longer fits with your brand
(Here’s my poor man’s sketch)