An Authentic Story is Consistent

Your brand story must remain consistent throughout its life. Inconsistencies can damage credibility, much like what happened to politicians who "flip-flop." Take John Kerry’s infamous statement during the 2004 presidential election: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." His political enemies shortened this to "I was for it before I was against it," portraying him as inauthentic.

Kerry had previously suggested that voting against wartime funding was akin to abandoning the troops. Yet, a year after supporting the use of force in Iraq, he voted against an $87 billion funding bill for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite his reasons—opposition to Bush administration tax cuts and support for an alternative funding bill—this moment was seen as inauthentic and hurt his credibility.

Carefully nuanced positions are often mistrusted and perceived as inauthentic. Each touchpoint is an element of your story, and you never know which touchpoint a customer will encounter. Ensuring your story is consistent across all touchpoints helps customers build a coherent and believable narrative. That is an authentic story.

An authentic brand maintains a consistent voice across all touchpoints, from website and brochure copy to point-of-sale displays and billboards. Familiarity breeds camaraderie, affinity, trust, and loyalty.

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