If brands are so important, why aren’t CEOs acting like it?

We hear it all the time. Brand is everything. It’s the heart of a business, the soul of its strategy, and the key to its future. CEOs, boards, and investors talk about the importance of brand with almost religious fervor. They demand loyalty from consumers, push for cultural relevance, and insist that their brand is what sets them apart.

But let’s look at the reality. If brand is so important, why is it treated like a performance metric instead of an enduring legacy? Why are companies cycling through short-term CMOs and chasing quarterly ROI instead of committing to visionary leadership? CEOs love to talk big about their brands, but are they willing to back it up with bold, long-term investments in the kind of leadership that real brand-building demands?

Lessons from Maison Margiela and Loewe

Fashion houses operate on a different wavelength when it comes to brand-building. They understand that a brand is more than a logo or a sales report. It’s a cultural institution. They don’t just hire managers, they hire visionaries.

Take Maison Margiela under John Galliano, who served as creative director for a decade. Galliano didn’t just grow sales, although he did, with Margiela’s revenue increasing 23% in 2023 alone. He fundamentally redefined what the brand stood for. His daring, theatrical approach reinvigorated Margiela, blending avant-garde design with the house’s legacy of anonymity and experimentation. The Tabi shoe became a global cult icon, and Margiela evolved into a touchstone for creativity, extending its influence far beyond its balance sheet.

Similarly, Loewe's resurgence under Jonathan Anderson is a masterclass in what happens when you give a leader the time and freedom to build something great. When Anderson joined Loewe in 2013, the brand was struggling for relevance. Today, it’s one of LVMH’s fastest-growing labels, with annual sales surpassing one billion dollars by 2022. Anderson achieved this not by chasing trends but by fusing Loewe's Spanish craftsmanship with cutting-edge, often surreal designs. The puzzle bag, one of Anderson’s signature creations, is now a modern luxury staple. Beyond sales, Loewe has positioned itself as a cultural force, thanks to initiatives like the Loewe craft prize, which celebrates global artisanship.

Both Margiela and Loewe show what’s possible when brands prioritize visionary leadership over short-term performance reviews. These brands didn’t grow because their leaders played it safe. They grew because their leaders were given the freedom to take risks and they did the work.

Show, don't tell

In fashion, vision isn’t something you pitch in a slide deck. It’s something you show, season after season. Every runway collection, every campaign is a living demonstration of a brand’s essence. Galliano didn’t just talk about Margiela’s avant-garde spirit, he redefined it with bold, theatrical designs. Anderson didn’t strategize Loewe's comeback, he showed it through inventive collections and tangible craftsmanship.

This “show, don’t tell” approach is what sets fashion apart and turns brands into cultural icons. Other industries should take note. Imagine if tech or consumer brands treated every product launch or campaign as a season to prove their vision, not just sell a service. That’s the rigor that creates cultural relevance.

A brand as long-term legacy

How many CEOs are willing to take these kinds of bets? The truth is, most companies still treat their brands as short-term assets, not long-term legacies. The average CMO tenure is less than two years, barely enough time to understand the business, let alone craft a vision. If CEOs really believe in their brands, they need to stop prioritizing quarterly returns and start investing in leaders who can build something enduring.

John Galliano was offered a five-year contract when he joined Maison Margiela in 2014. When it expired, it was renewed in 2019 for another five years. That’s ten years to do the work and leave a lasting mark. If you truly believe in your brand hire visionary leaders who can show, not just tell, what your brand stands for. Give them the time and resources to do it right. Stop measuring success in quarters and start thinking in decades.