Changing conversations: Brand identity as discourse

The state of branding has reached a tipping point. The explosion of digital communication has enabled consumers to interface and interact with businesses as never before. Today’s brands cannot hide — transparency is ubiquitous — and a brand’s ability to adapt and pivot with what consumers want is critical to their success. Empowered and über-informed, consumers today are in the driver’s seat, with the scales of power shifting in their favour. In this competitive landscape, brands need to be aware that consumers have never before been so savvy, discerning or critical about brands, nor as bombarded with messages. Constantly connected to channels of all types, consumers are second- and third-screening with dexterity, continuously paying partial attention to everything. As brands struggle to be noticed, how can they cut through the clutter? Knowing that emotion drives decision-making, a brand’s message has to target hearts to turn heads. But doing so requires brands to work harder and smarter to win the precious commodity of consumer affection.