In an era of proliferating brands and the availability of a vast array of communication channels, it would seem tempting for businesses to craft the perfect narrative and employ polished communication that accentuates a flawless brand persona.
Brands seeking to cut through the clutter and win the competition for a greater share of consumer wallets would be inclined to embellish their communication and be more hyperbolic in conveying their brand’s essence to their target audiences. This strategy is not only spurious and flaky, but it is also a strong driver of brand aversion or false loyalty.
What if showing your brand’s weaknesses can be a catalyst for building deep customer intimacy? Indeed, studies have shown that brands that show vulnerability by having open and honest discussions about their difficulties or mistakes can radically improve customer perception and enhance loyalty.
A major chicken shortage led to the closure of hundreds of KFC restaurants across the UK in 2018. KFC publicly apologised with ads reading “A chicken restaurant without any chicken. It’s not ideal…”, earning them much praise, retaining their customer trust, and restoring their corporate reputation when the restaurants eventually reopened.
Vulnerability in branding
Vulnerability in branding occurs when brands honestly and openly share their imperfections and admit to their challenges and human elements, rather than projecting flawlessness. This approach draws empathy and makes the brand more relatable. Brands that show vulnerability discard the idea of a perfect persona, allowing them to enjoy the vulnerability advantage.
Several studies show that vulnerability is a builder of trust, a differentiator of brands, and a strong driver of emotional loyalty. Therefore, brands seeking to build authenticity, boost retention, and enhance customer advocacy can leverage vulnerability through storytelling, transparent communication, and community engagement.
Vulnerability in leaders and managers
Several studies show that people who show reasonable vulnerability are generally perceived as more trustworthy, relatable, and authentic. This is highlighted by the Pratfall Effect, which suggests that highly competent persons increase their likability if they admit their mistakes or errors. Additionally, the Authenticity and Self-Disclosure theory says that individuals who share deeply personal opinions, faults, or weaknesses deepen intimacy and increase trust in their relationships.
Accordingly, managers who openly admit to their limited understanding of a problem or not having all the answers to it, but demonstrate a commitment to working it out with their teams, often earn greater praise and inspire collaborative work. Leaders who own their faults and draw lessons from their mistakes boost credibility and earn the loyalty and followership of their team members.
In addressing the Bay of Pigs Invasion, a failed military landing operation on the coast of Cuba in 1961, US President J. F. Kennedy publicly accepted responsibility for the failure, saying, “Victory has a hundred fathers, but defeat is an orphan; I am the responsible officer of the Government” earning him respect and boosting his approval ratings.
Types of vulnerability
Vulnerability can be manifested in various ways, including emotional, operational, cultural, and personal vulnerability.
Emotional vulnerability entails sharing stories of failure as a business, openly admitting the imperfections of your journey, and speaking honestly about your inherent challenges as a brand. This sharply contrasts with the idea of presenting a fantasy image or an unrealistic brand persona whose impact would be just as fleeting. In 2018, Starbucks closed down 8000 US stores to conduct training sessions on racial bias after a store called the police on two black men. The move portrayed Starbucks as genuinely accountable and helped rebuild trust with minority and marginalised groups.
Operational vulnerability refers to brands admitting product defects, service mishaps or failures, communication blunders, and any flaws in their internal processes. While potentially injurious to the brand’s corporate reputation, they are also effective avenues for building greater trust and enhancing customer perception. In the year 2009, Amazon angered customers by remotely deleting George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” from its Kindle devices due to a copyright challenge. The CEO, Jeff Bezos, quickly apologised, turning the incident into a positive, ensuring that Amazon sustained its customer trust and exceeded projected Kindle sales by over 60% in 2009.
Cultural vulnerability involves a brand’s deliberate decision to launch or support social causes, which may be unpopular or have little public disapproval. It also includes openly acknowledging, showing respect, adapting to cultural dissimilarities, and demonstrating sensitivity to the needs of local audiences. Cultural vulnerability may include going against an established social order and risking a major public backlash. A case in point is the Nike Colin Kaepernick Ad (2018), which featured the controversial NFL player with the tagline “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything”. Initially drawing criticism, the ad went viral, strengthening Nike’s bond with young people and increasing sales by 31%.
Personal vulnerability is when leaders and senior executives, who are often required to show a strong public persona, are open about their deep personal challenges, fears, and failings. Rather than getting perceived as weak and incapable, such vulnerability draws trust, empathy, and builds intimacy with their teams. In his 2005 commencement speech, Steve Jobs spoke about his battle with cancer and the need not to waste your time living someone else’s life. This elevated the weight of his message and demonstrated authenticity even for a dominant corporate leader.
Strategies for implementing vulnerability
While many aspects of vulnerability are natural and reflexive, brands must be deliberate and strategic in demonstrating their vulnerability for effect.
One such strategy is authentic storytelling. This entails sharing the struggles of your earlier years as a business and telling the story of your failures along the way. You should also share behind-the-scenes content of your manufacturing processes, missteps, what it took to achieve a certain milestone, or to deliver spectacularly on a project. Feature real-life people, e.g., customers, community members, etc., instead of actors in your communication materials. You should highlight customer testimonials by putting out raw and unedited user-generated content that relates to your brand.
A second strategy is transparent communication. This involves swiftly admitting your mistakes in unfiltered and unambiguous ways. You should avoid deflecting blame, be honest about your limitations, and clearly explain why you are unable to meet certain customer demands or expectations. If you receive negative feedback on a social media platform, address it publicly rather than delete it. Additionally, encourage a two-way dialogue with your stakeholders by hosting Q&A and AMAs (Ask Me Anything) sessions or community discussions.
Another strategy is community involvement, which is essentially encouraging customer participation in co-creating connections. Brands can establish partnerships with basic-level community organisations by having their personnel volunteer with such local groups or entities and actively participating in community development projects. Additionally, brands should consider empowering influential community members and customers whose personalities are align well with the brand’s core values. Skills development, workshops, and mentorship programs are effective ways to endear brands to their community.
The effect of all these strategies should be measured by tracking key metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), online engagement rates, and sentiment analysis using tools like Brand 24, Brandwatch, etc.
Navigating risks
While brand vulnerability is an effective way of building connections, vulnerability attempts may be misjudged and perceived as insincere and ultimately backfire. For example, leaders who excessively share personal difficulties may come across as attention-seeking, self-pitying, and unprofessional. Additionally, brands that constantly express weakness and make a public show of their challenges without being accountable and offering clarity on how they intend to address those challenges will, over time, erode trust. Brands could also over-disclose sensitive information and potentially run the risk of being undermined by the competition.
It is therefore expedient that businesses ensure that their vulnerability strategy aligns well with their core values and that they are adequately prepared to deal with any threats of a backlash. It is also important to monitor and adapt to changing market conditions and critically learn from the successes and failures of the competition. If implemented correctly, a brand vulnerability program would invariably result in building deeper connections and ensuring organic customer growth and advocacy.
Vulnerability humanises brands and transforms them into entities that are relatable in an increasingly cynical world. It diminishes the effects of ad fatigue and builds emotional loyalty in a sea of brands that constantly yearn for consumer attention. Leaders who share personal stories of struggle, admit their imperfections, make their biases known, and even show emotion where appropriate, engender a climate of openness and ultimately have deeper connections with their team members.
By: M. Muniru Husseini, PhD
The writer is a Marketing Strategist and Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Email: muniru.husseini@gmail.com
