In a 2022 study commissioned by Google, they found that,  "82% of shoppers prefer a consumer brand’s values to align with their own. […] Three-quarters of shoppers reported parting ways with a brand over a conflict in values."

The moral? Your motivation has a direct impact on your earnings.

Glossier prides itself on being a brand "inspired by real life," meaning that they position their clients as the authorities and create products that are an extension of their personal style.

By extension, their brand personality is friendly, casual, and conversational -- exactly what you'd expect of a friend that's trying to make you look your best.

It's a grudge match almost as old as the brands themselves. Their weapon of choice? Brand perception.

McDonalds originally distinguished itself as a staple, whereas Burger King advocated choice with their "have it your way" campaign.

To this day, McDonalds banks on nostalgia, while Burger King harnesses social relevancy and innovation.  And even though their product is nearly identical, their strategy is working: both brands are wildly successful.

Get ready to feel old: Dove's #RealBeauty campaign has been running for almost 20 years.

In staying focused on their mission of elevating women's perception of their own beauty, they've kept their content clever and relevant.

By keeping their strategy consistent over time, they've gone from being known for a bar of soap to a being a company that champions female beauty - which is far more valuable to its customers.

In a 2021 survey of 14,000 consumers across 14 countries, 88% of clients rate trust as a "critical" or "important" factor when deciding which brands to buy or use. 40% said that they’ve stopped buying from a brand they loved because they no longer trust them.

“Tell the truth, but make the truth fascinating. You know you can’t bore people into buying your product, you can only interest them into buying it.”
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(Known for Ogilvy on Advertising, the seminal work in advertising, copywriting, and brand experience.)

"Customers hold most of the cards today. They […] don't like to be sold. But they do like to buy. Your job shouldn't be to convince customers to buy, but to help them buy what they want."

(Known for: "The Brand Gap" and "Zag," books that take a drastically concise approach to the topic of branding.)

No one company understands the power of genre quite like Disney.

Since acquiring companies like National Geographic, Marvel Entertainment, and LucasFilms, they've expanded their branding and offerings into a diverse library that speaks to all ages and interests.  

In 2022 the connection their customers felt to these stories netted them a cool 164.2 million in revenue from streaming services alone.

“Never sacrifice clarity for cuteness. Cute doesn’t sell.”

(Known for: The Copy Posse, an award-winning copy collective that breaks the mold of traditional advertising.)

Painful price gouging and uncomfortable seats aside, Spirit Airlines has flipped the script in their messaging.

They're not afraid to use puns in their FAQs, or print the phrase "important stuff comes out here" on their boarding pass kiosks.

Because they are consistently casual in their messaging, we know not to expect the sleek luxury experience that's traditional for an airline.

With Spirit, what we see is what we get.

Spotify has made it a point to support its users' lifestyle, instead of just offering a service.

Over time, they've added social value-adds like concert schedules, QR code sharing, and a driving interface to their app. And, of course, we can't forget the cultural moment that is the "Spotify Wrapped" season.

These valuable additions demonstrate a powerful personal interest, and increase user loyalty.

By framing itself as a co-op, REI allows its members a direct sense of ownership in their brand.

Their messaging reinforces a sense of community and purpose by offering "garage sales" of used merchandise and an advocacy group called an "action network."

Their goal is to ensure that when you shop at REI, you always feel like you belong.