Why Authenticity Beats Aesthetic (Every. Single. Time.)
Imagine walking into a room full of fascinating people, and someone greets you with: “Hi, I create purpose-driven synergy to optimize innovation ecosystems.”
You’d probably scan the room for the exit.
Yet this is how most brands introduce themselves online, drenched in vague buzzwords, terrified of sounding too real. Somewhere along the way, brand strategy became synonymous with sanitizing personality. But here’s the paradox: in an era obsessed with connection, brands are sounding less human than ever.
At Tangerine, we believe your brand isn’t boring. It’s just overly rehearsed.
The Personality Deficit Disorder
The internet isn’t short on content, it’s short on personality. Consumers today can sniff out inauthenticity faster than a middle manager can schedule a “quick sync.” And it shows:
- 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.
- But only 51% of consumers believe brands are doing it well. (Source: Stackla)
That gap? It’s your opportunity.
Case in Point: Buzzword Detox
One of our clients came to us with what she thought was a messaging issue. Her site traffic was strong. Her offers were clear. But nobody was converting.
Her homepage read like a corporate white paper. It listed frameworks. Outcomes. Certifications. But nowhere did it answer the real question: Why should I care?
We rewrote everything in her actual voice, quirky, confident, a little cheeky. We kept her frameworks, but gave them names her audience would remember. We added stories. Removed filler. Let her laugh show up in the copy.
Within six weeks: +42% conversions, doubled email replies, and a speaking invite from a podcast she’d been ghost-following for two years.
What Harvard Won’t Tell You (But We Will):
- Your tone is the first impression. You have seconds to make them stay. Clarity is respect. Personality is magnetism.
- The best brands aren’t perfect, they’re consistent. The founder voice, the visuals, the content all feel like they’re cut from the same cloth (not stitched together in Canva).
- Emotion beats credentials. We buy because we feel something. Then we justify it with logic. Your brand should lead with the former, and back it with the latter.
How to Start:
- Read your bio out loud. If it makes you cringe, rewrite it.
- Replace one sentence of copy this week with something you’d actually say to a friend.
- Ask a non-work friend to describe your personality in 3 words. Use those in your brand voice guide.
Your brand isn’t a résumé. It’s a relationship.
And relationships only work when you show up as yourself.
Book a call with our team today.