Welcome to the Keel insights
As businesses look to regain momentum and maximise opportunities next year, it’s vital that they consider the important role their brand will play in determining their future success. Here we take a look at some of the key areas we’re encouraging companies to consider to ensure their brand will stand out for all the right reasons in 2022.
Establishing your central truth
We’ve spoken several times this year about the importance of authenticity and brand purpose, but in a time of hyper-flux – where we see constant change and new trends – it will be important for businesses to think about their fixed sense of identity. This central truth is where authenticity should come from. Rather than jumping on trends and trying to constantly adapt your brand for change, remaining constant and true to your purpose will help you build trust with your audience.
By anchoring your brand in a strong position, you have a clear connection point that will also represent stability and authority. This is a great way to create confidence and credibility in your brand for your audiences.
A shift from resilience to proactive positivity
In the last two years we have all experienced the impact of COVID-19 in some way. Just as individuals, businesses from across all sectors have reacted and been affected in different ways – some positive, some negative. But even as we face new variants and further restrictions, a shift in attitude from ‘weathering the storm’ to one of more optimistic forward-thinking could set your business apart. The key will be to strike the right balance between empathy and positivity.
We believe that consumers and decision-makers are ready for this change, and the time has come to act, not react. So, evoking a sense of proactive positivity with your brand will demonstrate confidence and galvanise customers with more forward-thinking behaviour showing that they can trust and stay loyal to your business whatever lies ahead.
Inclusivity and diversity
Inclusivity and diversity are, of course, not new priorities for businesses, but it is increasingly important to establish what they actually mean for your brand. We’ve moved beyond tick-box and anecdotal activity to brands needing to think about how they can take meaningful action to create real positive change. Now is the time for businesses to think about how their brand can play a role in expanding the conversation to include others.
If your business can use its scale to solve a genuine problem around diversity and inclusion – whether for your product, service, or sector – or simply include more diverse voices in the space you do occupy, doing so could help you establish a stronger position within culture and open up new audiences and opportunities.
Humanising your brand
Where new channels have opened and new generations are taking a lead on decision making, businesses – particularly within the B2B market – are having to rethink the way they position their brand to attract and engage new mindsets. This attitudinal shift means that consumers and buyers are demanding more transparency. They want to understand the character of your business and what you stand for, so making this front and centre of your brand is more important than ever.
As a business you will need to open your doors and show the value you bring, providing connection points beyond products, services and financials. Decision making is changing across the board and the expectation for a business to know who they are, and share who they are at every level, is imperative. We’ve already been helping several B2B companies transform their brands so that they capitalise on this growing trend and are set up for success in 2022.
Preparing your brand for the Metaverse
This may seem a bit ‘out there’, but we’re already seeing brands selling products within the virtual world. Whether or not you believe the Metaverse hype and what Mr. Zuckerberg is betting on for the future of Facebook, it’s important not to discount the potential for your brand to explore new revenue opportunities.
Ensuring your brand is robust enough to work across multiple channels, territories and even in the virtual world is important to establish now so that you can maximise future opportunities and tap into these new audiences.
