Branding is one of those words we all use, but few of us pause to define it truly. In its purest sense, branding is the process of shaping perception. It is how a company, a product or even a person is recognised, remembered and differentiated. While branding often evokes logos, colours and taglines, its roots lie much deeper in reputation, consistency and trust.
The term “branding” comes from the Old Norse word brandr, which means “to burn”. Originally used to mark livestock with a symbol of ownership, the word later took on a broader meaning. In a commercial sense, branding began to take form in the late nineteenth century with the rise of mass production. Companies like Coca-Cola, Campbell’s and Kellogg’s pioneered the idea that products needed distinct identities to stand out on increasingly crowded shelves. These early efforts focused on product recognition and consumer trust.
The modern concept of brand strategies, meaning the strategic crafting of a brand’s essence, truly took shape during the twentieth century. Figures like David Ogilvy and Walter Landor helped turn branding into a professional discipline that combined marketing, design and consumer psychology. In the 1960s and 1970s, branding matured into a powerful business tool. Companies used it not just to sell products, but to create customer loyalty in a world of growing choice.
Since then, brand strategies have undergone significant evolution. We transitioned from product-focused branding, where features and performance were the primary focus, to emotional branding, which aimed to connect with how people feel. Today, we are living in the era of personal branding. The founder, the public face, or even the consumer can now become the brand itself.
This transformation reflects more than a shift in marketing tactics. It demonstrates how deeply branding is intertwined with the way people perceive companies and how companies strive to connect with us. Branding is no longer just about what you sell; it’s about who you are. It is about who you are and what you allow others to become through your story. That is the new frontier of brand strategies.
From the 1960s to the 2000s. The Age of Product and Emotion
The evolution of brand strategies in the latter half of the twentieth century is a masterclass in how businesses adapted to mass media, consumer psychology and globalisation. During this period, branding shifted from merely identifying a product to building entire worlds of meaning around it.
The 1960s and 70s. Trust through consistency
In the 1960s, most brand strategies were still rooted in the product. Advertising was used to communicate what a product did, how it worked and why it was superior. This was the age of the USP, the unique selling proposition, coined by Rosser Reeves. Each product had to represent a single, straightforward idea. For example, M&M’s “melts in your mouth, not in your hands” promised something rational and memorable.
David Ogilvy, considered one of the fathers of modern branding, famously said: “The consumer is not a moron. She is your wife.” His approach respected intelligence and focused on clarity, product benefit and storytelling. Brands like Dove, Rolls-Royce and Shell relied on credibility and repetition. The goal was simple: earn trust.
The 1980s. Rise of lifestyle branding
By the 1980s, brand strategies became more sophisticated. The product was still central, but advertising now created a lifestyle around it. Nike’s “Just Do It”, launched in 1988, did not focus on shoes. It sold motivation, independence and grit. It made the consumer the hero.
Apple began to emerge as a disruptor. Their 1984 ad, directed by Ridley Scott, positioned the Macintosh as a tool of rebellion against conformity. It was no longer about processing power. It was about being a part of something visionary.
Brands started to act like media entities. They no longer only sold products; they sold values. Coca-Cola was not just a drink. It was happiness in a bottle. Pepsi was not just a refreshment. It was the voice of the next generation.
This emotional framing created loyalty, especially among young consumers. It laid the groundwork for brand strategies that went far beyond utility. Identity became a core objective.
The 1990s. Emotional branding goes global.
The 1990s further intensified this emotional shift. Consumers were no longer satisfied with performance. They wanted a connection. This gave birth to what many now call “emotional branding”, a term popularised by Marc Gobé in his book published in 2001.
This shift was also tied to the rise of globalisation. As brands expanded internationally, they had to appeal across cultures. Emotion became a universal language. McDonald’s spoke of family. Levi’s told stories of freedom and individuality. Benetton stirred conversations on politics, race and peace through provocative visuals.
Technology brands used emotion to humanise innovation. Think of Intel’s sound logo or IBM’s “Solutions for a Small Planet”. The point was not just that these companies were smart. They were trustworthy, helpful and human.
The early 2000s. Feeling like a better version of yourself
By the early 2000s, emotional branding had evolved into something even more intimate. The brand was now a mirror for your aspirations. A computer was no longer just a tool for work; it had become a personal companion. It was a gateway to creativity, freedom, and personal expression.
Apple’s “Think Different” campaign encapsulated this perfectly. It showed black-and-white images of Einstein, Gandhi, and Picasso. The message was clear. Buy Apple and join the ranks of those who change the world.
This moment in the evolution of brand strategies was profound. It marked a shift from selling the product to selling the transformation you could experience through it. You were not just buying sneakers. You were buying the possibility of self-discipline. You were not just buying a coffee. You were buying a moment of comfort in a chaotic world.
In short, the product itself was becoming less visible. What you felt, what you believed and how you imagined yourself became central to the entire strategy. Brand strategies had become vehicles for identity.
Today and the Rise of Personal Branding
Today’s brand strategies are more intimate, visible, and human than ever before. In a landscape saturated with products, services and digital noise, people no longer buy what you do. They buy who you are. This evolution marks the entrance into what many refer to as the age of personal branding.
The human face of a brand
Scroll through any feed. What do you see? Founders speak directly to their audience. CEOs explaining decisions in personal posts. Designers, marketers and engineers stepping out from behind corporate walls. The story of the company has become the story of its people.
This shift reflects a growing need for authenticity. Consumers want to know who is behind the screen. Who runs the company? Who stands by the values being advertised? Innovative brand strategies are recognising this need.
Steve Jobs is perhaps the defining example. The Apple brand is inextricably linked to its identity. His vision, charisma and obsession with simplicity shaped Apple’s DNA. Even long after his passing, the company’s product launches and brand language still echo his philosophy.
Mark Zuckerberg has taken a different route, often one that is more controversial. Yet Meta’s identity is tightly bound to him. His name appears in every pivot the company makes. From Facebook’s early college-based community to its current metaverse ambitions, Zuckerberg is not just the founder. He is the story.
Other examples are equally powerful. Richard Branson built Virgin around his boldness, risk-taking and playful irreverence. Elon Musk has become the narrative engine behind Tesla, X, Neuralink, and SpaceX. Whether one admires or questions his approach, there is no denying that his presence drives the attention and momentum of each brand.
Why it matters for companies
Personal branding is no longer optional for business leaders. It is a strategy in itself. In many sectors, people want a face they can trust more than a logo they can remember.
A 2023 study by Edelman showed that 63 per cent of global consumers are more likely to buy from a company whose leadership is visible and vocal. Another report by Sprout Social revealed that social media posts from employees and founders receive eight times more engagement than branded content. These numbers are not a coincidence. They reveal a more profound truth: we tend to relate to humans more easily than to institutions.
Companies are now hiring specialists in executive visibility. They build narratives for their founders. They prepare CEOs for thought leadership roles on platforms like LinkedIn, where authenticity often outperforms polish. This investment is now a crucial component of modern brand strategies.
In fashion, Telfar Clemens turned his name into a democratic and inclusive movement. The “Not for You For Everyone” philosophy has become a rallying cry for a new kind of consumer who rejects elitism. Clemens is not only a designer. He is a living manifesto for the brand.
In the beauty industry, Glossier’s Emily Weiss built an empire on transparency and relatability. Her blog-turned-brand was born from her own experiences and voice. That personal tone is reflected in every product, every customer interaction, and every hiring decision.
Even large corporations are adapting. His evident personal leadership style has accompanied Microsoft’s resurgence under Satya Nadella. His interviews, speeches, and book, “Hit Refresh,” all positioned him not only as a CEO but also as a thoughtful human being trying to lead with empathy. These examples demonstrate how future-proof brand strategies are inextricably linked to the individuals who lead them.
The rise of micro-personalities
Not all personal branding belongs to founders or CEOs. Today, employees at every level are expected to become brand ambassadors. Influential engineers at Google, stylists at Balmain, and sustainability experts at Patagonia. Each voice adds credibility and dimension to the parent brand.
Brand strategies now include internal empowerment. Employees are encouraged to share their work, voice their values and engage with the public. This is not just good PR. It makes the company feel accessible and multidimensional.
As Gen Z enters the workforce and consumer market, this trend is expected to intensify. This generation expects to see the people behind the scenes. They do not separate the product from the process, or the message from the messenger.
A mirror and a megaphone
Personal branding works because it blends the emotional with the relatable. It creates a story arc that the audience can follow. A product may change. A person evolves. We stay connected through the growth.
This shift also makes brand strategies more responsive to changing market conditions. A founder can communicate more effectively during a crisis than through a press release. An employee can highlight innovation more effectively than a glossy campaign.
Yet this trend requires care. The line between authentic and performative is thin. A visible leader must remain consistent and transparent in their actions. A personal brand cannot be outsourced. It must be lived.
When well-executed, personal branding not only elevates the individual but also enhances the company’s reputation. It builds a bridge between vision and value, between message and meaning. And in today’s economy, that connection is often the difference between noise and resonance.
Conclusion: When a Brand Finds Its Voice
From the bold product claims of the 1960s to the emotional storytelling of the 1990s and now the deeply personal voices shaping today’s landscape, brand strategies have never stood still. They evolve because people evolve. What we expect from companies has changed. What we tolerate has changed. And what we remember — that has changed the most.
A logo might be recognised, but a voice is remembered. A product might be purchased, but a belief is followed. That is the power of personal branding. It turns companies into characters, founders into storytellers, and customers into communities.
This shift is not a rejection of traditional brand strategies, but their natural next chapter. Consistency, clarity and positioning still matter. But today, they must be filtered through something human. That human might be the founder, the team or even the customer. What matters is that it feels real and that it reflects something bigger than the product.
For marketers, this is both an invitation and a challenge. It means rethinking how we present our work, not just through slogans and style guides, but through human stories, visible leadership and honest connection. It means remembering that in the end, people do not fall in love with companies. They fall in love with people who make them believe in themselves.
We used to say the product was king. Then, that emotion was queen. Perhaps now is the time to admit what drives the new era: the person behind the brand.
José Amorim
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