Uniform

Authenticity & Britishness

By Nick Howe

Authenticity is at the heart of all great brands. Create an authentic product and an authentic experience and you will drive loyalty. From Barbour to Bentley to Burberry, it’s this authenticity that keeps their customers coming back for more.

And, fundamentally, Britishness is revered across the globe. Few brands embody it, even less turn it to their advantage. It’s Britishness that helps these brands stand out in an international marketplace.

But how do we reinvent Britishness for the future? Is it really about nostalgia? Maybe. But nostalgia alone doesn’t make a brand great. What it does do however, is provide a great starting point for building the British brand of the future. A brand that is modern, international and authentic. It’s this ambition that will give us the new Great Brands of Great Britain.

What does ‘British’ mean? Britishness is many things and it’s different every time. It’s about craft – the beauty of a bespoke Gieves & Hawkes, Saville Row suit; its about quality – the Flyweight 4oz Sylkoil waxed cotton used to create a Barbour jacket; and it’s a sense of understated sophistication – like the discreet emboss on the finest leather upholstery of a Bentley. It is traditional, yet it’s modern. It’s all of these things and more.

Every great British brand has a story to tell. Whether the story is rooted in nostalgia or a unique vision of the future, if it’s authentic and can amplify the right elements of what British means, it will succeed. But only if it’s delivered in the right way. Successful brand stories are those that are built around relevance, authenticity, conversation and ownership. And this type of storytelling is how these brands need to connect with the hearts and minds of today’s consumer.

Tweet