{"id":4293366,"date":"2025-06-09T09:29:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T07:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deptagency.com\/insight\/consistency-relevance-magic-what-durable-brands-get-right\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T10:50:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T08:50:42","slug":"consistency-relevance-magic-what-durable-brands-get-right","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.deptagency.com\/en-uki\/insight\/consistency-relevance-magic-what-durable-brands-get-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Consistency, relevance, and a little magic: what durable brands get right"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/mask><\/g><\/svg>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tInsights\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\tConsistency, relevance, and a little magic: what durable brands get right<\/h1>
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\n\t\tMaria Prokopowicz\t\t
\n\t\tContent Marketing Manager\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tDate\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tJune 9, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\tIn 2000, Harvard Business Review published marketing professor Kevin Lane Keller\u2019s Brand Report Card<\/a>. <\/p>\n\tThe piece identified the top 10 characteristics of the world\u2019s (then) strongest brands and provided brands with a framework to grade their performance in each area.\u00a0

While the marketing landscape has shifted digitally, culturally, and commercially over the last 25 years, Keller\u2019s core principles remain remarkably relevant. If anything, they\u2019ve become even more critical as today\u2019s most resilient brands still tend to exhibit most or all of these characteristics. Many have simply evolved how they deliver on them, incorporating new platforms, consumer expectations, and technology along the way.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\tHow do brands stack up today?<\/h3>\n\tWe revisited Keller’s attributes to see if they still hold true for durable brands today, and whether the top brands from 2000 have proven their longevity. <\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t1. Delivers the benefits customers truly desire<\/h2>\n\tKeller opened his report card with perhaps the most foundational trait of all: great brands deliver what people actually want, both at a product level and emotionally, experientially, and even aspirationally. This is the bedrock of brand equity. But brands must anticipate customer intent, tailor experiences, and offer\u00a0seamless\u00a0utility across\u00a0touchpoints. In short: the experience is the product.

His example was Starbucks, which at the time had evolved from selling beans to creating a full-bodied experience. Customers returned for caffeine, plus the aroma,\u00a0ambience, and sense of community.

Today, Starbucks is still widely viewed as a leader in experience-driven branding. But it\u2019s not without pressure. The rise of independent\u00a0caf\u00e9s, inflationary backlash, and in-store automation have prompted questions about whether Starbucks has drifted from its original sensorial appeal.

Still, Starbucks has doubled down on personalisation, loyalty, and convenience. Its mobile app, beverage customisation, and commitment to maintaining a \u201cthird space\u201d between home and work suggest it\u2019s still delivering on core consumer desires, adapted for modern behaviours.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t2. The brand remains relevant<\/h2>\n\tStrong brands need to evolve with cultural and market changes while remaining anchored in what makes them themselves<\/em>. Today, relevance is real-time. Attention spans are short, competition is abundant, and brands must adapt rapidly to trends, shifting values, identities, and expectations.

Keller\u2019s example was Gillette, which built relevance over decades by investing in innovation and launching increasingly advanced razors. It paired this with aspirational messaging (e.g., “The best a man can get”) that adapted over time to reflect changing ideals of masculinity.

But Gillette has since faced some turbulence. While its products have advanced, it failed to anticipate deeper shifts in consumer behaviour\u2014namely, the rise of beards and the decline of daily shaving, especially among younger men. Add to that the disruption from direct-to-consumer competitors like Dollar Shave Club, and Gillette\u2019s relevance took a hit.

The brand attempted a repositioning with more inclusive, socially conscious messaging (remember the 2019 \u201cWe Believe<\/a>\u201d ad?), and expanded its product range to include beard grooming. While these steps intended to take the brand in the right direction, many felt they were reactive rather than visionary.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n
\n\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/iframe>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\n\tA more compelling modern example of staying relevant is Nike. Not only has Nike continuously evolved its product lines to reflect style, performance, and sustainability trends, but it\u2019s also remained embedded in\u00a0culture.

For example, marking its return to the Super Bowl after 27 years, Nike\u2019s 2025 \u201cSo Win<\/a>\u201d campaign\u00a0spotlighted\u00a0elite women\u00a0athletes\u00a0like Caitlin Clark and Sha\u2019Carri Richardson. The ad confronted stereotypes and double standards faced by women in sport, quickly becoming the brand\u2019s most-watched video on Instagram. By aligning with the rising prominence of women\u2019s sport and addressing the surrounding conversations, Nike demonstrated its ability to tap into the larger cultural landscape in a thoughtful and reverent way.
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\n\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/iframe>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t3. Pricing strategy is based on consumer value perceptions<\/h2>\n\tStrong brands price based on what consumers believe the product or experience is worth, not just cost or competition.

Keller used Procter & Gamble\u2019s Cascade dishwasher detergent as an example. It briefly lowered\u00a0prices\u00a0by cutting corners on performance, and when that change was noticed (and attacked by competitors), it hurt the brand\u2019s core promise and forced a reversal. On the flip side, Keller pointed to P&G\u2019s successful shift to everyday low\u00a0pricing\u00a0across many product lines, where the perception of value remained intact because quality was maintained.

The lesson?\u00a0Price should never undermine the brand\u2019s promise.

In 2025, this principle still applies, but with greater complexity. Consumers now assess value on performance as well as sustainability, inclusivity, convenience, and ethics. Brands that try to extract\u00a0profit margin\u00a0without delivering meaningful differentiation risk quick backlash in a time when product reviews are a\u00a0cornerstone of social media.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t4. The brand is properly positioned<\/h2>\n\tGreat positioning means occupying a specific, desirable\u00a0niche in the market\u00a0and defending it over time through clear messaging, experiences, and product decisions. And in 2025, with categories blurring and new players emerging constantly, positioning must be sharper than ever.

Keller\u2019s primary example was Visa, which took on American Express in the \u201980s and \u201990s not by\u00a0copying\u00a0it, but by carving out its own lane: universal acceptance. \u201cVisa\u2014it\u2019s everywhere you want to be\u201d became the essence of the brand.

Visa\u2019s example remains impressively\u00a0resilient. Today, the brand continues to dominate by ubiquity and reliability. In an age of digital wallets, contactless payments, and crypto speculation, Visa has maintained its position as the default, trusted infrastructure for everyday commerce<\/a>. It\u2019s still “everywhere,” and it\u2019s still deeply embedded in global consumer behaviour. Its value doesn\u2019t lie in\u00a0flashiness, but in functioning seamlessly and being accepted without friction.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t5. The brand is consistent<\/h2>\n\tUnsurprisingly, another defining trait of strong brands is their consistency, or their strategic cohesion across time and touchpoints. Brands that veer too far off course in pursuit of short-term gains often pay a\u00a0long-term cost.

Keller\u2019s example, Michelob, fell victim to this. The company\u2019s shifting of slogans eroded the brand\u2019s identity, from \u201cWeekends were made for Michelob\u201d to \u201cThe night belongs to Michelob\u201d to \u201cSome days are better than others.\u201d It wasn\u2019t clear what the brand stood for, and sales\u00a0declined.

In an age of infinite channels and touchpoints, consistency is both more important and more difficult to maintain. Brands have to adapt to new platforms and cultural conversations without compromising their\u00a0core identity.

Coca-Cola continues to be a masterclass in this balance. Its messaging has evolved from \u201cAlways Coca-Cola\u201d to \u201cOpen Happiness\u201d to today\u2019s \u201cReal Magic,\u201d but the emotional\u00a0threads\u00a0of joy, refreshment, and connection have stayed intact. Its logo,\u00a0colour\u00a0palette, tone, and experience remain instantly recognisable <\/a>across packaging, social media, and global markets.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t6. Brand portfolio and hierarchy make sense<\/h2>\n\tA coherent brand hierarchy is often invisible to consumers but critical to strategic success. Companies need a logical structure to manage multiple brands or sub-brands without cannibalising or confusing the market.

Keller cited BMW\u2019s model as exemplary: The 3, 5, and 7 Series clearly denote ascending tiers of price and luxury, while maintaining a unified brand promise of performance and precision. By contrast, General Motors\u2019 overlapping brands and shared body designs in the 1980s blurred the distinctions between Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile, confusing buyers and weakening equity.

This principle still holds today, as consumers expect sub-brands to feel distinct, yet coherent within the parent brand\u2019s values and standards.\u00a0
Disney is a strong example. The parent brand remains synonymous with wholesome, family-friendly storytelling, while its acquired sub-brands<\/a> like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar retain their distinct voices and audiences. Disney\u2019s streaming platform subtly reinforces this hierarchy: Titles are clearly housed under their respective franchises, making the architecture intuitive for both children and adults.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\u00a07. The brand has a full repertoire of marketing activities<\/h2>\n\tKeller stressed that strong brands don\u2019t rely on a single marketing tactic, but orchestrate a full suite of tools to create and reinforce brand meaning<\/a>. His example was Coca-Cola, which, at the time, blended traditional advertising, sponsorships, packaging, and retail promotions to build an iconic brand.

This principle is more critical now than ever. Today\u2019s marketing landscape is fragmented<\/a>, fast-moving, and hyper-social. Brands must deploy a coordinated mix of\u00a0paid, owned, earned, and experiential strategies\u00a0to maintain relevance and recognition. Marketing is now a networked,\u00a0omnichannel\u00a0engine where everything needs to be in sync.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t8. Understands what the brand means to consumers<\/h2>\n\tAccording to Keller, truly great brands are stewarded by people who understand their full meaning, rather than just how they want the brand to be perceived, but how it actually\u00a0is perceived. He pointed to Bic\u2019s misstep into perfumes as a classic case of brand misunderstanding: A company known for cheap disposables tried to enter a category defined by luxury and intimacy. The result was a disconnect that consumers rejected.

In today\u2019s environment, that kind of brand detachment can be fatal and much faster. Consumers now have platforms to call out misalignment in real time. The brands that endure are those whose leaders listen actively, run ongoing sentiment analysis, and understand the emotional and cultural associations that consumers attach to them.

A strong example of this in action today is KFC. The brand has learned to fully embrace its quirky audience perception, leaning into its offbeat personality with gaming collabs, TikTok-friendly recipes, and playful stunts like chicken-scented merchandise<\/a>. But that clarity came with some bumps. In 2009, KFC\u2019s \u201cUnthink\u201d campaign attempted to reposition the brand as a healthier option alongside new menu items. But consumers didn\u2019t want a reinvented KFC\u2014they wanted a better version of the food and persona they already loved.

Today, by leaning into indulgence, humour, and nostalgia, KFC has sharpened its identity and built stronger resonance with modern audiences<\/a>. They\u2019ve shown that knowing what you are (and what you\u2019re not) is foundational to brand durability.
<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t9. Given proper support and sustained over time<\/h2>\n\tKeller emphasised that building a durable brand<\/a> requires long-term investment. Cutting marketing or innovation budgets to boost short-term margins may temporarily improve financials, but risks eroding hard-won equity. His example was Shell, which had strong brand differentiation in the late 1970s, but let it erode after pulling back on advertising. By the 1990s, Shell was just another oil company in the eyes of consumers.

The warning still holds. Today\u2019s brand landscape is volatile as attention spans are short, competition is global, and social sentiment can shift overnight. The brands that persist are those that remain committed to the long game, avoid knee-jerk reactions, and continue to fund equity-building even amid disruption.

eBay has weathered decades of digital transformation <\/a>by consistently supporting its core brand positioning: the marketplace for value, rarity, and discovery. Even as competitors rose, eBay continued to invest in customer trust programmes, seller tools, and a refreshed UX. Its recent focus on enthusiast communities (e.g., trainers, collectibles, and pre-loved fashion) is backed by targeted marketing, not just platform tweaks.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t10. Monitors sources of brand equity<\/h2>\n\tThe best brand managers build systems to track how customers feel instead of simply assuming. Keller described brand audits, tracking studies, and formal equity reports as critical tools to understand how a brand is performing and how consumers actually perceive it.

This is arguably the trait that has evolved the most. In 2000, brand tracking meant surveys and focus groups. In 2025, it means leveraging real-time data <\/a>from search, social, CRM, product usage, subscriber churn, and even biometric UX testing. Brand health is a living, breathing dataset, and the strongest brands build feedback loops between data and decision-making.

Apple, for example, monitors its equity with precision. It tracks customer satisfaction post-purchase, brand favourability in key markets, and loyalty across product cycles. Its response to moments of criticism, such as \u201cBendgate<\/a>,\u201d or privacy concerns, often includes both technical improvements and messaging updates. Apple\u2019s ability to spot a shift in sentiment and respond with clarity is a key reason it remains the most valuable brand in the world.

Ultimately, Keller\u2019s point was that brands can\u2019t be managed on instinct alone. Even the most iconic brands need a dashboard. And the best ones don\u2019t just track awareness or recall\u2014they monitor trust, meaning, and alignment with evolving customer expectations.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n
\n\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\t
\n\t\tDownload the Durable Brands Playbook <\/p>Find out how AI-era CMOs can win in the long-term of brand building. <\/p>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\tLearn more<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\tA durable framework for a disrupted world<\/p>\n\tIn the 25 years (or what feels like the blink of an eye) since Kevin Lane Keller introduced his Brand Report Card, its ten characteristics have remained an impressively durable lens through which to evaluate brand strength. In fact, they may be more relevant than ever.
As consumer expectations shift in real time, channels proliferate endlessly, and brand trust proves fragile, the fundamentals Keller outlined \u2014 delivering real value, staying relevant, maintaining consistency, and investing in long-term equity \u2014 remain the key factors that separate the enduring from the expendable.<\/p>\nWhat has changed is how these traits manifest in society. Relevance now means aligning with both rapidly evolving culture and technology, alongside enduring values. Pricing strategies blend affordability with signalling purpose and worth. Marketing is less about broadcasting and more about creating a feedback loop. And truly understanding what a brand means to people requires equal measures of empathy and analytics.<\/strong>

Keller\u2019s framework still provides a strategic blueprint. But today, durable brands must operationalise it at the speed of culture, across a vast ecosystem of touchpoints, with a deep understanding of what people want \u2014 often before they even say it out loud.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n
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