What’s the role of a brand? To tell a story about why you sell the products you sell, yes. To give you an identity that sets you apart in the market, yes. To act as a compass to navigate times of uncertainty, most definitely yes.

We’re currently living through a cost of living crisis, a climate emergency and an ongoing war which means many are feeling unsure.  Businesses are feeling the pressure too. But they also have the opportunity to use brand as a beacon of hope and a force for good.

John Lewis for example, repositioned this year and took its new tagline, ‘For All Life’s Moments’ seriously, committing to a £99 million half-year loss to ease the pressures of the cost of living crisis for both customers and staff. The brand took a good look around at the landscape and made a move that responded to people’s needs.

We’re not saying a loss of millions or a repositioning is necessary for everyone. But if you’ve got a well-built brand – one that’s centred around a unifying, ultimately positive belief – you can give your team and your customers something to rally around. You’ve got the power to effect real, meaningful change. And it’ll be one that can work across different cultural and economic moments.

Back in 2020 we helped Cath Kidston team build a brand about inspiring the everyday optimist. It’s an idea that not only speaks to the joy that Cath Kidston’s products bring, but it pulls out the optimism from the team and its customers. And it’s also an idea that can be recontextualised to chime with audiences today: what does it mean to be an optimist in difficult times? How can we use that optimism to create a positive impact day by day?

Our challenge to you is to think about how you can flex your positioning and find new meanings within it that adapt to changing times. Think about what’s really important to your audience and consider how your brand might act as a compass to help others navigate choppy waters too.