You can buy a brand, you can't own it.

There exists a pervasive myth, that brands are something we "own" — that as marketers, creatives, or executives, we have ultimate control over the identity of the brands we work on. This falsehood suggests that brands are merely products of our strategies, messaging, and design, to be shaped at will. However, history has shown time and again that this assumption is dangerously misguided. Brands, in truth, are not owned by the companies that buy them; they belong to the audiences who love them.

The marketing world has struggled to accept this, particularly as the digital age has radically shifted power dynamics. The voices of consumers are now louder, more visible, and more consequential than ever before. A brand's identity, once curated by corporations, is now negotiated in the public sphere. Brands that fail to understand the cultural and historic context in which they operate often find themselves facing backlash or irrelevance. Consider the numerous examples of brands that have suffered due to tone-deaf campaigns, perceived corporate hypocrisy, or a failure to align with the values of their consumer base

The idea of "owning" a brand is a relic of a bygone era when companies and agencies held near-total control. Consumers are no longer passive recipients of marketing messages; they are active participants in the evolution of brand identities. The brands that thrive are those that engage with their audiences in meaningful, authentic ways. We marketers must embrace the reality that brands are co-created with the people who choose to invest in them — not just financially, but emotionally and culturally.

In the end, it is the audience that shapes a brand’s success or failure. As painful as it may be for some in the industry to accept, the final say lies not in the hands of the C-suite, but those who choose to embrace a brand. It’s a humbling reminder that, in the world of branding, we are not the masters; we are the stewards — and our role is to listen, respect and be grateful to the people who ultimately keep, and yes “own” the brand.

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