Anyone can claim efficacy, or say their product is backed by science. The harder thing is building a standard that’s rigorous enough that you’d let someone else evaluate it.
Third-party certifications, clinical partnerships, professional endorsements reflect a clear choice to be held accountable by someone at arm’s length. Embrace the organizations that don’t drink your Kool Aid.
External validation is critical in a category where anyone can come in and say anything. If you define yourself by that trust standard, you create an honest and clear signal for your customer.
Hold your core values, but push the limits
The best teams that I have worked with have a lot of room to move, but also know what’s non-negotiable. They adhere to their values, their quality standards, and their customer promise. Then push everything else.
Recently, we pushed into a new audience that required a significant change to our creative, but our standards stayed firm. Because the team held to its core values, they had the confidence to stretch into new territories.
There’s always tension between discipline and disruption, and what is proven versus what is possible But that tension is where the best work happens.
The brands that will lead through this moment of breakneck pace aren’t the ones shouting about being authentic. Instead, they’re the ones doing the hard work of holding true to clear and validated standards, while staying close to their customer.
These brands will earn their legacy by being as real as they promised.
