Rethinking Brand Messaging
“That’s too bold.”
I’ve heard this more than once when suggesting campaign copy or website content in the past. And every time, I couldn’t help but wonder — what exactly are brands so afraid of?
I’ve noticed a pattern. Many B2B companies try to appear humble but still expect people to know exactly who they are and what they do. This isn’t just based on my own experience. I’ve heard it from others who’ve worked with B2B brands too.
Without clear and confident brand messaging, those who don’t already know the business will be kept in the dark.
I’m not saying that businesses should lie or make promises they can’t keep — but rather that they should feel confident expressing their value in a more direct, compelling way.
So… at what point does being ‘humble’ start to feel less like modesty and more like quiet arrogance?
It’s a fine line, I think. What starts as a well-meaning effort to stay grounded and avoid overselling can also come across as, “we don’t need to explain ourselves because most people already know who we are.”
But… what if they don’t? And what does that mean for business long-term growth?
Brand Messaging Builds Trust
Brand management starts with a product and its perceived value, but as Kotler points out, communication is still important for gaining market share and building leadership.
And if a brand’s slogan is a contract, a promise to customers, could it be that brands avoid bold messaging not out of humility, but out of fear? Fear of setting expectations they might not meet?
Instead of living up to their promise, improving brand messaging and the product itself, many B2B companies lower the volume, play it safe, and say less. It’s easier, perhaps even better, to focus on existing customers than risk saying the wrong thing to someone new.
But in doing so, brands make it harder for new audiences to understand why they matter. They risk becoming invisible, not because they lack value, but because they’re just too afraid to voice it. And in that silence, they often miss the opportunity to connect, grow, and lead.
Managing a corporate brand means making the company visible to people who haven’t interacted with it before. That’s why confident brand messaging isn’t bragging, and advertising isn’t arrogance. Both are ways to communicate trust, build reputational capital, and stay ahead of the competition