The Branding Delusion

How the Concept of "Brand" Has Damaged Marketing and Society

The concept of "brand" has, in many ways, constrained marketers and society at large. What was once a tool for differentiation has now become a force for homogenization, leading to a landscape where individuality is sacrificed for marketability.

Here’s how this shift has played out—and why it’s time to rethink the role of branding.

1. The Pressure to Be a "Brand" Diminishes Authenticity

When a business—or even an individual—demonstrates a marketable trait or offers a great product, they are urged to become a "brand."

This pursuit often leads them to dilute their unique essence in favor of a more generic, broadly acceptable identity.

Instead of embracing their authentic selves, they conform to expectations, optimizing for mass appeal rather than originality.

2. The Audience Becomes the North Star—At Any Cost

We've been conditioned to believe that "the consumer is in control." This belief, when coupled with the erasure of individuality, fosters an obsessive focus on understanding every nuance of the audience.

Brands prioritize knowing what consumers like, how they think, how they speak, where they are, and what they are doing.

Instead of defining themselves, they become data-collection machines, desperate to mirror the latest consumer behaviors and preferences.

3. Image Management Replaces Self-Reflection

This relentless focus on audience perception shifts the priority from introspection to external validation. Instead of asking, "Who are we?" brands ask, "How do we appear to others?"

The industry has largely abandoned genuine self-exploration.

Marketers ignore their own instincts and beliefs because they are not "the consumer." Their own perspectives become secondary to market demands, dictating brand behavior in ways that prioritize audience approval over authentic expression.

4. Fear of Miscommunication Stifles Meaningful Messaging

In an increasingly text-based digital society, fear of being misunderstood looms large. Messages are carefully crafted to be as safe and neutral as possible, avoiding any risk of alienation.

Brands co-opt memes, mimic slang, and adopt trendy phrases in an attempt to remain "with it"—not because these messages are authentic, but because they fear disconnection and rejection. This approach results in communication that is hollow and calculated rather than meaningful.

5. Brands Drift with the Tides of Consumer Trends

Audiences are fickle. They move from one trend to the next at breakneck speed. When brands define themselves by consumer sentiment, they become equally unstable, never setting down roots, always following the crowd.

Instead of establishing a firm identity, they function like seagulls at a parade, scavenging for scraps falling from the latest cultural float. The brand's trajectory is dictated by the whims of the audience, leaving no room for stability or long-term vision.

The Current State of Branding: Homogeneity by Design

Today's brands, shaped by algorithms and consumer preferences rather than internal conviction, have become increasingly homogeneous. The future of most brands has been outsourced to the crowd, forcing them into an endless cycle of adaptation.

To stay relevant, marketers feel compelled to anticipate the next big trend before consumers do, setting up shop in every emerging space to maintain visibility and appeal. This relentless, reactive approach prioritizes external signals over internal purpose.

The Missed Opportunity: Knowing Ourselves

Brands rarely take the time to understand themselves on their own terms. Yet, this could be the key to breaking through the noise.

Instead, many brands remain tethered to the shifting tides of public opinion, further reinforcing the cycle where individuals become brands, and brands look to other brands for guidance. This self-referential loop stifles innovation, turning marketing into an echo chamber of sameness.

The blandness of brands is at hand.

A Call for True Brand Identity

Businesses and individuals should define themselves based on their values, purpose, and distinctiveness rather than chasing relevance.

By breaking free from the cycle of audience-driven identity, we might be able to cultivate something truly rare: brands that stand apart by being unapologetically themselves.

The real challenge isn’t understanding every nuance of an audience—it’s having the curiosity and courage to understand ourselves.