This Is How You Build a Brand People Remember in a World That Forgets Fast
“If your business isn’t online, it doesn’t exist.”
— Google
That one sentence has echoed across marketing seminars, socials, and startup workshops for the past 15 years. And we believed it. We built for it. We hustled for it.
But let’s pause for a second.
Can you actually remember the last digital ad that moved you? That stuck with you like a jingle, a TV ad, a funny poster taped to a local shop window, or a flyer in the mail that could pass for fine art?
We didn’t just adopt digital. We built our entire marketing belief system around it.
The Identity Crisis That Followed
In the race to stay visible online, small businesses started to lose something much bigger: their identity.
We’ve seen it again and again. Businesses posting recycled content. Talking like everyone else. Looking like everyone else.
It’s not your fault. The internet told you this was the way to grow. But the truth is, digital performance marketing and endless content chasing doesn’t build a brand. It builds… fatigue.
“We’ve raised a generation of marketers who know how to boost a post but don’t know how to define a brand.”
- Mark Ritson
Even the Giants Are Changing Course
Nike, one of the world’s most recognisable brands, recently lost billions in market cap and saw a 21% drop in digital sales after leaning too hard into performance marketing.
Their response? A full pivot back to brand. Storytelling. Offline experiences. Because they realised you can’t build love with a retargeting ad.
“Brand building has been neglected in favour of short-term sales activation... a result of over-reliance on digital metrics that incentivise volume over value.”
- WARC, Global Advertising Trends 2023
And they are not alone. Coca-Cola, Airbnb, Spotify are all returning to brand first strategies that centre around emotional connection, community, and story.
AI, Algorithms & Why Human Brands Win
With AI now churning out content at scale, consumers are craving something real. Handwritten notes. Local stories. Physical touchpoints.
AND GUESS WHAT?! As a small business, you were always better at real. You were made for connection, not click-through rates.
What This Means for You
It means your business doesn’t need to keep up with every trend. You don’t need to out algorithm anyone. You need to remember who you are and build your brand around that.
Offline branding isn’t outdated. It’s the new competitive edge. It’s what makes people feel something. And people buy based on emotion.
“71% of consumers say brands have become more superficial and less genuine over the past five years.”
- Edelman Trust Barometer 2024
Where from here? Straight into something unforgettable. Give us a tap and build a brand that’s felt, not just followed.
