There are countless ways to build integrity for your brand but here are five key ideas that should be useful to brands across all industries.
Consistency is essential when it comes to brand integrity. If shoppers get one message on your Instagram and then an entirely different one when they visit your store their perception of your brand falters.
Inconsistencies and mixed messages will cause people to question your brand's reliability and trustworthiness. However with so many companies taking an omnichannel approach to eCommerce this is a mistake that can easily occur.
The modern consumer journey is complex and shoppers connect with your brand across dozens of different touchpoints. To maintain consistency across them all it is essential that you effectively communicate brand guidelines brand values and a code of conduct throughout your company.
Marketing PR support and sales staff all need to be briefed so that they interact with consumers in a way that aligns with your brand's values. Ideally new hires will be educated as part of the onboarding process. Even shareholders and those at the highest level of your corporate structure need to be kept in the loop. This will help ensure that behind-the-scenes decisions remain in line with your public-facing brand.
Both customers and employees can rally behind a brand with an admirable purpose. This can build integrity and earn the public's trust. Often a brand's higher purpose will connect its products with a good cause that their key personas care about. For example outdoor clothing brand Patagonia sets out some commendable core values; it aims to build the best products and protect nature.
The brand's target audience enjoys exploring nature so these principles are bound to appeal to them. But Patagonia has brand integrity because it followed through on its promise. It builds long-lasting products with sustainable materials. Before Black Friday its 'Don't buy this jacket' campaign even called on customers to help the environment by consuming less. The message obviously struck a chord as profits jumped by a third that year.
More consumers are turning to brands that take sustainability and social responsibility seriously. Your higher purpose doesn't have to be complex though. Many companies simply donate to charity.
To build integrity brands need to prove that they're trustworthy. Speaking in a genuine and authentic tone of voice can help with this. Formal corporate messages just won't cut it - especially when it comes to social media eCommerce. Using humor emojis memes and colloquial terms can remind customers that there are real people behind your brand.
Showcasing behind-the-scenes snapshots and video content can help bring a human touch to your eCommerce marketing too. Carefully choosing influencers to promote your products can play a key role as well.
Show shoppers that your brand has nothing to hide by engaging in unscripted two-way conversations. Respond to comments run live streams and host events to demonstrate exactly what your brand is all about.
Owning up to your mistakes is actually a great way to build integrity and trust. Don't believe us?
When a customer data breach threatened Target's brand integrity the company was honest with customers and quickly apologized. As a result its reputation remained relatively unscathed.
Similarly when Taylor Swift criticized Apple's payment of artists the brand quickly changed its policy and a senior VP publicly apologized on Twitter. In the aftermath Swift even appeared in one of the company's ads.
Consumers know companies aren't perfect but they expect brands to own up to their mistakes. So make this part of your brand policy.
To maintain brand integrity companies need to keep their ear to the ground about developments in society politics and public opinion.
New information is constantly coming to light and brands that are aware of changing trends can address an issue without losing face. For example palm oil recently came under the spotlight because of its association with deforestation. As these issues came to light Nutella which uses palm oil in its chocolate spread quickly moved to source sustainable traceable crops.
Recently when a French politician criticized the company's use of palm oil Greenpeace defended the company and publicly praised its progressive actions. As a result its brand integrity was boosted rather than bruised.
