Giant leaps for brandkind: what can’t be ignored from the last decade

As Moonshot celebrated its 11th anniversary on July 20th - a date that echoes humanity's giant leap to the moon - we find ourselves reflecting on some seismic shifts in the branding landscape over the past decade. Just as the Apollo mission transformed our view of the possible, the world of branding has undergone its own revolution. Here are some of the key transformations that have reshaped how businesses need to approach branding in an increasingly noisy, fast-paced world where remaining relevant is essential. 

Social media isn’t new but our approach to it is

Remember 2013? Instagram was barely three years old, and TikTok wasn't even a twinkle in ByteDance's eye. Fast forward to today, and social media has become the primary launchpad for brand visibility and engagement. As a design agency, we've seen firsthand how platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat (among others) have created new vistas for brands to explore, fostering real-time, personal connections.

This shift has given birth to the influencer marketing phenomenon. Influencers who embody a brand's values become the storytellers, reaching niche audiences with a more organic touch. It’s a new kind of partnership and these collaborations build trust and authenticity in a way that traditional advertising often struggles to achieve. 

Identifying the right influencers for your brand requires understanding the ecosystem of your audiences. You have to dig deeper than traditional demographics to understand your target market: where do they get their information, who do they turn to for advice and inspiration, what channels are they spending time on, who do they trust—and most importantly, who do they relate to— that aligns with your brand and company mission?

Profit is out, purpose is in

There’s a huge generational shift in the market today and brands are scrambling to be about more than just profit. Consumers crave brands that stand for something bigger. They want to align themselves with companies that share their social, environmental, and even political beliefs. The latter is the most tricky to pull off and can have dire consequences (hello, StickerMule and #boycottbudlight) in polarizing and marginalizing customers, but it can also garner supreme brand loyalty.

Brands must define their core values and then walk that talk. Values are the core beliefs underpinning our worldviews. They drive our action and inaction, inform our sense of purpose, and bind together our tribes and communities. At Moonshot, we guide our clients through the soul-searching process of defining the essential core values that will align with their most essential audiences. We’ve published on it before in an explanation of how to define purpose and create alignment: The core values we share with *you*.

Keeping it real

In an era of increasing skepticism, authenticity and transparency have become crucial to survival. This is the walking the talk part. Consumers are more discerning than ever, quick to detect any artificial elements in a brand's atmosphere. 

This trend has led to more open communication about processes, supply chains, and even shortcomings. A somewhat surprisingly popular core value that many companies have adopted is “radical transparency.” Surprising in that it’s a tough one to live up to. Remember Everlane? The New York Times reported on the rise and fall of a promise that was too hard to live up to. 

“Everlane promised to reveal its pricing markups, its clothing suppliers, its ecological footprint. This vision of “radical transparency” was so compelling that after only five years Everlane reportedly brought in $50 million in revenue and sought a valuation of more than $250 million.”

For Everlane, it worked until it didn’t. But the point is, define what you stand for and live up to it. Consumers are way too savvy and will see through the BS of any business. But authenticity, in this day and age, will be rewarded handsomely with loyalty that builds on genuine brand equity. And this is where we can applaud Patagonia as a true winner in the realm of purpose and promise. 

AI is our greatest transformer

The explosion of big data and AI advancements have enabled brands to offer personalized experiences that would have seemed like science fiction a decade ago. From tailored content recommendations to customized product offerings, brands are now able to chart individual, personalized journeys for their customers.

AI came so fast and so hot, that it’s touching nearly every aspect of business. WebFX came out with a fascinating report on the impact of AI in marketing and the business world’s general adoption of it. Here’s a few fun ones: 

• Over 80% of executives in the retail and consumer space expect their businesses to use AI automation by 2025.

• 66% of businesses are using or planning to use AI for their sustainability goals.

• One-third of respondents surveyed say their organizations regularly use generative AI in at least one function.

• Nearly 45% of marketing executives we surveyed use AI for content creation.

You might be wondering if AI was used in this piece you’re reading. It was and is responsible for maybe 20% of the content here. We use it generally as thought-starters and grammatical checkers. Chances are, you are too. AI is here to stay and no one can project its actual impacts. New technologies are responsible for the greatest shifts in the past decade and brands have an opportunity to create innovative and immersive experiences for consumers. 

What lies ahead

AI is a powerful tool, but it doesn't replace human creativity. The future of branding lies in collaboration, where AI empowers human strategists to craft even more effective brand experiences. Authenticity and purpose are here to stay as younger generations inherit the planet and the future of it, the demand on companies to be more than the products they sell will only increase. 

The concept of branding has expanded beyond logos and advertising to encompass the entire customer journey and experience. Gone are the days of $2M+ awareness campaigns that nudge the bottom line. Building real connections between companies and consumers is the only way to cut through the noisy crowd. 

At Moonshot, we focus on creating cohesive, memorable interactions across all touchpoints, ensuring that every element reinforces our clients' brand identities. From leveraging new technologies to embracing social responsibility, brands have had to adapt to rapidly changing consumer expectations and technological landscapes.