Belief is the new benefit: how brands stay relevant as movements

How does a brand stay relevant?

A brand stays relevant by standing for a belief people want to share, not by adding benefits they can compare. At IW Agency, we think belief is the new benefit. Competitors can copy, match and undercut benefits. A belief is harder to copy, because the brand has to live it.

Relevance means being part of the choices people make now, not the ones they made ten years ago. Classic brands lose it quietly. In the Göteborgskex case, private labels grew by imitating Swedish cookie classics, and the category became crowded, dustier and less engaging. More features would not fix that. A reason to care could.

We think about relevance in three parts: belief, proof and invitation. Belief is what you stand for. Proof is what you do that shows it. Invitation is how people get to take part.

Conclusion: Benefits get matched. Beliefs get joined.

Why aren't better benefits enough anymore?

Better benefits are not enough, because people increasingly choose brands on what they stand for. In Edelman's Earned Brand study, 64 per cent of consumers said they buy on belief, up from 51 per cent in 2017 (Edelman, 2018). The study surveyed 8,000 people across eight markets. Edelman defines belief-driven buyers as people who choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on where it stands on issues they care about.

"Consumers are taking this responsibility really seriously," said Amanda Glasgow, Edelman's US consumer practice chair, speaking to Provoke Media (Provoke Media, 2018). Six years later, Edelman put it more bluntly: "The line between brands and the society they operate in has dissolved." Among 15,000 respondents in 15 countries, 71 per cent said a brand under pressure to take a side must take a position (Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, 2024).

We believe AI assistants sharpen this shift. When an assistant lines up five products, their benefits sit side by side in a table. Comparable soon means interchangeable. A brand that stands for something specific, and says it clearly, does not flatten into a table row.

What does it mean for a brand to act like a movement?

A brand acts like a movement when people can see what it believes, see it act on that belief, and find a way to join in. That takes belief, proof and invitation working together. Most purpose statements stop at the first step.

The belief should come from what the brand already is. Morakniv is a clear example. In a world increasingly willing to compromise on quality, Morakniv stands for something different. That belief grows out of the craft in the knives, not out of a campaign.

Proof is where many brands fail. As competition for attention increased, donors asked SOS Barnbyar for greater clarity and transparency. For a cause-driven organisation, the belief was never in doubt. Showing it was the work.

The invitation turns an audience into participants. Svenska kyrkan risked losing cultural relevance as new generations formed different relationships to faith. That is a question of invitation: how an existing belief stays open to people who no longer take it for granted.

Conclusion: A belief nobody can join is just a slogan.

Isn't brand purpose just risky virtue signalling?

Brand purpose turns into virtue signalling when the belief is borrowed, not when it is held. This is the strongest argument against belief-led brands, and it deserves a serious answer. Plenty of brands have attached themselves to causes they had no claim to. People want good products at fair prices, and a manifesto does not change the taste of a biscuit.

We agree with half of that argument. A belief does not replace the product. Prophet's inaugural Brand Relevance Index surveyed nearly 45,000 consumers about more than 800 brands. It found that the most relevant brands are ones people depend on, as well as ones that inspire them. They also manage this "while remaining unwaveringly authentic to who they are".

The other half of the argument does not hold. A belief does not have to be political. It can be about quality, craft, generosity or joy, as long as the brand can prove it. Silence carries its own risk too. When a brand does not communicate its actions on societal issues, 51 per cent believe it is doing nothing or hiding something (Edelman, 2024).

Conclusion: The risk isn't having a belief. It's faking one.

What does this mean for your brand?

• Find the belief you already hold. Look at what your brand has refused to compromise on, not at this year's causes. Then write it into your brand platform.

• Prove it before you say it. List three things the brand does that a sceptic could check. If you cannot find three, fix the business before the message.

• Design the invitation. Decide how people take part: a ritual, a product choice, a community, or a line they can repeat as their own.

• Say it the same way everywhere. State the belief in one plain sentence and use it consistently across Strategy, Design, Comms, Digital and Innovation. A consistent belief is easier for people to remember and for AI assistants to describe.

• Start with your classics. Heritage brands need belief most. The Champis case asked how a slumbering classic could become both iconic and relevant without losing what made it unmistakable.

Frequently asked questions

What is brand relevance?

Brand relevance is the degree to which a brand is part of the choices people make today. A relevant brand is one people consider, choose and talk about. Recognition alone is not enough.

What is the difference between brand purpose and brand beliefs?

Brand purpose is why an organisation exists. Brand beliefs are the convictions that guide how it behaves and what it will not compromise on. Purpose sets the direction, and beliefs show it in daily decisions.

Does a purpose-driven brand have to take political stands?

No, a purpose-driven brand does not have to take political stands. It needs a belief it can prove, and that belief can be about quality, craft or community. Edelman's 2024 report shows that people expect a position once a brand is under pressure, so decide in advance where your belief applies.

Can an old brand become relevant again?

Yes, an old brand can become relevant again if the renewal builds on what people already loved. The Arla Ko case asked how one of its most ubiquitous products, milk, could reclaim its cultural status.

So where does relevance come from?

Relevance comes from a belief people can see, trust and join. Benefits keep a brand in the comparison. Belief gets it chosen, again and again. If you want to talk about what your brand believes, write to us at hello@iwagency.com.

Sources

• Earned Brand 2018 — Edelman, 2018

• 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Politics — Edelman, 2024

• Inaugural Prophet Brand Relevance Index — Prophet

• Edelman Study Finds Majority Of Global Consumers Buy Based On Belief — Provoke Media, 2018