Why branding matters more than ever: Part two

In 2026, we live in a world where AI can craft product pages, price comparisons, and automated ads in seconds, and competitors can imitate features at lightning speed. In this world, a product’s function is increasingly easy to replicate, but its brand meaning is not.

A brand isn’t just “creative stuff”. It’s the strategic foundation for financial resilience. If marketing is the fuel that drives visibility, branding is the engine that powers long-term value.

Without a clear and consistent brand, you don’t just lose emotional connection, you pay a “distrust tax” on every lead and sale. Businesses with fragmented or diluted branding pay more to acquire the same customers and lose margin as price becomes the default battleground.

At its heart, modern branding is about clarity, consistency, and credibility, and those elements are now among the most valuable assets a business can own.

Global Lessons: What the Best (and Worst) Teach Us

Not even the biggest global names are immune to brand missteps, but the lessons they leave behind are clear.

Brand Done Right: Patagonia

Patagonia offers a masterclass in values-led growth. From its mission to “Save the Planet” to its refusal to prioritise short-term profit over environmental integrity, Patagonia has turned brand belief into a business model.

Customers don’t just buy their jackets, they stand for the brand’s purpose. That’s not incidental branding; that’s brand strategy in action.

The takeaway? Mission builds meaning. Meaning builds loyalty. Loyalty builds resilience.

When Branding Misfires: Tropicana & Jaguar

In 2009, Tropicana ditched its familiar orange with a straw packaging for a stripped-back, minimalist design, and sales plunged 20% in two months. Consumers didn’t recognise the product they felt connected to. The brand lost its greatest asset: familiarity.

More recently, Jaguar’s 2024/25 rebrand sparked criticism for shifting its identity from “performance and power” to a lifestyle-leaning visual language that alienated longtime enthusiasts. The lesson here isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about emotional expectations and customer relationships.

In both cases, the brand moved away from what made customers feel understood and valued,and the result was lost trust and visibility.

Key lesson: Branding isn’t what you think it is. It’s what your audience feels, remembers, and chooses.

Welsh Brands Leading the Charge

World-class branding isn’t confined to Silicon Valley. Some of the most exciting, future-proofed brand work today is happening right here in Wales, and it’s worth paying attention to.

Here are four Welsh brands doing brand strategy well, each in its own way:

Au Vodka 

A striking visual identity, especially that iconic gold bottle, has helped Au become more than vodka. It’s now a lifestyle symbol seen in high-end clubs and on celebrity socials, transcending categories to become aspirational.

Their brand isn’t just about taste; it’s about status and presence.

Bad Wolf 

This production company has turned South Wales into a global hub for high-end entertainment. With hits like His Dark Materials and the latest seasons of Doctor Who, Bad Wolf showcases Welsh creativity to the world.

Here, the brand isn’t just the output, it’s the story of place, talent, and ambition.

Goodwash Company 

Goodwash has carved out a distinctive position by blending luxury with conscience. Natural ingredients, thoughtful design, and meaningful social commitments give the brand depth that resonates with modern consumers.

They’re not just selling soap - they’re making values tangible.

Hiut Denim

Hiut is a powerful example of a brand built around craft, community and conviction. After denim manufacturing left Cardigan, Hiut didn’t just bring it back - they built an identity around it. 

Every pair of jeans carries a number, a story, and a promise: “do one thing well”. Hiut’s brand isn’t about fast fashion; it’s about patience, quality, and dignity in manufacturing. 

By celebrating local skill and resisting trends, Hiut has created something rare - a brand people feel proud to wear, not just buy. This is branding aligned with longevity, not volume.

Why This Matters to Welsh Businesses

Wales has an increasingly compelling story to tell: of creativity, innovation, and values that resonate globally. From spirits to screen-writing, from skincare to sustainability, Welsh brands are showing that meaningful identity, not just good products, earns attention, loyalty, and growth.

Brand isn’t a vanity metric; it’s a strategic moat, one that protects against commodity pressure, economic uncertainty, and the noise of a crowded market.

In 2026, your brand isn’t just how you look, it's how long you last.

Understanding how strong brands are built, how they scale, and how they stay relevant is essential for startups, established businesses, creatives, marketers, and founders alike.

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