Brand coming out

The brand coming out is the process in which brands show their true identity, in which the border between employees and consumers completely disappears, and as a result unite people instead of products. Here a world evolves in which the brand manager only facilitates, and is at service to the members of the brand. These types of brands look more like clubs than like brands we have been designing until the end of the 20st century. They are worlds you feel like you really are a part of. Even stronger: you really are a part of them!

This new way of exposing themselves to people is characterized by a very equal attitude of the brands. Where brands used to keep themselves into place by screaming as loudly as possible and wrap their message as nicely as possible, the power now is in listening. By showing their vulnerability, brands can touch people more than they used to. Just like people. Somebody who dares to be vulnerable after all is also bound to receive more sympathy than somebody who always knows best, isn’t it? Our brains treat brands just like people, and brands start to behave more and more like people.

This trend is very clear today. There is a call for authenticity. Companies put a lot of energy into corporate branding. Co-creation is the new way to involve consumers. Societal entrepreneurship, openness in government, networking, ambassadorship: there are tons of terms that partly cover the load. For the long term, one thing is clear: brands experience a brand coming out, and I closely follow the developments.

Brand coming out

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Latest observations for Brand coming out (in Dutch)