Authenticity: Branding at the Cellular Level

Recently a speaker from the League of Women Voters discussed authenticity and stated that was the one quality she wanted to see in political candidates. I found myself thinking about authenticity in marketing and business.

Authenticity requires vulnerability, the willingness to be open, truthful and sincere. Genuine. Authenticity in marketing requires truth in advertising and presentation. A number of recent posts from consultants in organizational development discussed authenticity. The Free Management Library offered additional insight on the subject.

Social media and its transparency supports truth. Companies and people find it difficult to “pull one over” on consumers in today’s world. Yet, authenticity is lacking. More than ever authenticity is cited as the catalyst for customer loyalty.

Not surprisingly, books are written on the subject. Beyond-Branding: How the values of transparency and integrity are changing the world of brands, is a compilation by 14 authors. Read more and download your free chapter here.

Authentic branding strikes a chord, causes a response from the target audience, and resonates at the cellular level.

Ultimately, a quote from Barbara De Angelis, Internationally recognized expert on human relations, sums up authenticity: "We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity."