Holistic Branding, Part 4: The Power of Heritage
Every brand carries its origin within it—a concentrated essence of stories, values, traits, and associations. In our holistic approach, this origin takes center stage. We call it Heritage. But what does that actually mean in practice?
History builds trust
There are heritage brands that have stood for exquisite craftsmanship for generations. Others have been connecting people since the 19th century through a sugary soft drink. Then there are the younger brands, leaning into "Hollywood-ready" founder myths born in a California garage. These narratives do more than just provide good storytelling; they create identification and, above all, trust.
Trust drives buying decisions
Trust is a core driver of economic success. Brand psychologist Gert Gutjahr describes it as a direct factor in value creation: purchasing decisions are always emotionally charged. This is especially true when quality is hard to judge, products seem interchangeable, or decisions feel cognitively overwhelming. In these moments, trust becomes the ultimate tie-breaker. A brand’s heritage provides a genuine head start here.
The future requires a past
Heritage is not a nostalgic accessory; it is a strategic asset. Behind every brand lie the ideas of brilliant minds, happy accidents, a library of experiences, significant investments, and years of hard work. This organic brand value can be quantified, traded, or transferred. No matter who leads a brand, its heritage is always part of the deal. That’s why it’s so important to any future development.
Hands off the crown jewels
Strong brands provide orientation, ensure recognition, and differentiate themselves clearly in the market. As a branding agency, we guide this process—aiming to strengthen market perception while reminding internal teams what the brands truly stand for. We always do this with deep respect for the brand’s roots. A reckless rebranding can quickly destroy what took decades to build.
The blogger Mark Ritson put it bluntly:
«Keep your filthy, busy hands off the crown jewels and let your brand bask in the glow of genuine, hard-won originality.»
Heritage and originality
The originality that comes with a brand’s heritage is earned the hard way. It includes the rough edges, the courage, the mistakes, the coincidences, the crises survived, the wit, and the character. This is what makes a brand exciting. It’s what sticks in the mind and sets it apart. If you change a brand simply to chase current trends, you jeopardize the very thing that makes you different. We usually advise against it. Instead, the focus should be on the brand's core values, with new developments being carefully considered in order to build on the valuable heritage that has already been firmly established in the market.
When heritage becomes a liability
Although heritage is valuable, it isn't sacred. Sometimes it hinders more than it helps; for instance, when influential figures in the brand's history pose a risk, or when the values the brand claims to be founded on are revealed to be empty promises. In such cases, a 'fine-tune' isn't enough — you need a clean break.
However, these cases are rare. That's why you should think long and hard before starting a 'new chapter' — maybe it's time to get the current one right instead.