How Brand Identity Influences Customer Behavior

One KPI I look at, often late at night when the day is done, is tagged photos. In the world of consumer brands, especially CPG, it’s easy to get caught up in revenue numbers, repeat purchase rates, and distribution metrics. But there’s something more visceral that tells you whether you’re building a brand or just selling a product: Are customers proud enough to tag you? Are they taking the time to share your product publicly, almost like a trophy or a badge of identity? When I look at competitors, I see very few tagged photos. Maybe a handful here and there. The reality is, many of these brands are commodities. They solve a functional need, but they don’t spark enough pride or excitement for someone to say, “Look at this - this is part of who I am.” With us, it’s different. We have hundreds of tags: people posting their bottles, their cans, celebrating their rituals and achievements. It’s a small but powerful signal that the product has transcended utility. It’s part of their story. This is common in categories like fashion or premium gear,products that carry social currency. But in CPG, it’s rare. And that’s exactly why it matters. If you’re building a consumer brand, here’s something to ask yourself: Are people proud to associate themselves with what you make? Are they eager to share it with their friends - not because you asked them to, but because it feels like an extension of their identity? If the answer is yes, you’re doing something special. If not, it might be time to ask why.

This Piece of Painter’s Tape Says Everything You Need To Know About Brand Yesterday I saw a Tesla with its logo covered by painter’s tape. Some have even gone so far as replacing it entirely—swapping in logos from other brands. A quiet protest. A customer muting a brand they once proudly believed in. And in that small act? A masterclass in branding. Especially in high-consideration categories like cars, people aren’t just buying specs. They’re buying belief systems. A car isn’t just four wheels and a drivetrain. It’s an avatar of identity. A rolling statement of what you value. That’s why I keep thinking about Patagonia. A brand that’s done the opposite of tape-over-the-logo energy. 📌 They invite scrutiny. 📌 They lean into their values. 📌 And they’ve built almost irrational levels of brand love as a result. Consider these 2024 data points: 🟢 52% brand awareness among U.S. outdoor fashion customers 🟢 80% of customers demonstrate loyalty 🟢 96% of materials PFAS-free by weight 🟢 63,000+ items repaired through Worn Wear’s Nevada center in 2023 This isn’t just marketing. It’s mission, operationalized. And consumers feel it. Patagonia doesn’t just sell outdoor gear. They sell a worldview. Because when brand values match brand behavior, trust deepens. And loyalty compounds. Contrast that with the painter’s tape. A subtle—but scathing—signal of misalignment. When a company’s actions (or its leadership) drift too far from the values that drew people in… Even a die-hard customer will reach for the tape. So here’s the real takeaway for brand leaders: Mission isn’t fluff. Values aren’t copy. They’re the emotional spine of your business—and one of your last great moats.

There is so much thought and energy and expense put into building a brand that sometimes companies miss when it falls apart at the last mile. We look at famous endorsers, use the products, watch the ads and social media, and in the process brands make us feel a certain way. Apple can make us feel cool and creative, Nike can make us feel like anything is possible and Google can make us feel smart. But what about that last mile, when the person meets the brand. For the billions of dollars that go into telecom and airlines, the brand often lives or dies by the customer experience in the store or the waiting for the plane. Bad communication, a harried worker, "we can't solve your problem;" or more and all that brand expense goes out the door. (How many products have you bought in the last year that underperformed or failed and there's no phone number, refund, or support?) I've always been impressed by the utmost patience Apple Store employees have with older folks who come in confused about technology. It's incredible to see the brand activated all the way to the core. And working at Virgin, I'll always remember the Airlines' herculean effort to return a young girl's stuffed animal across thousands of miles. In those moments a brand is built. At Overtime we do many very unscalable things - like spontaneously give tours to our arena to people who knock on the door, show up at schools and even host a "dream tryout" where any player across the world has a chance to play at our league. But we still have to be exceptional from everything from picking up at the airport, to emails to making sure we have the right sized shoes and uniforms as it's all part of the brand. Many brands run events too, whether it's pop ups, giveaways, youth sports circuits and more, and the customer doesn't separate that experience from the brand. It's all one. Being a leader and custodian of a brand should be an act of creativity. But in some ways it also has to be an act of paranoia. Because every day people in your name have the chance to build or diminish your brand. And a brand is a powerful thing, but so are the emotions of the customer at the point of contact.