84 Honesty Is Sustainable

Authenticity speaks volumes. Brands that tell a genuine, honest story resonate with people. People believe in honest brands.

Even if you don’t think people can spot a fake intuitively, the digital age has given rise to a new era of transparency. Twitter, blogs, and twenty-four-hour news cycles are forcing companies to live up to their promises more than ever. Even the most carefully crafted press release can’t compete with a thousand people trashing a brand in the blogosphere.

The Internet generation values authenticity above many other brand attributes, which pushes smart brands to be real with their customers. The payoff (besides good karma) is that while today’s consumers will not tolerate dishonest claims, they are more forgiving of honest mistakes.

3 Characteristics of Authentic Brands

SOURCE
Chuck Saylor Chairman and CEO, izzy+ izzyplus.com

Chuck Saylor founded the office furniture company known as izzy in 2001—not an ideal time to start a business in the U.S., if you recall. Yet, the company has not only survived, it has enjoyed tremendous growth, including the acquisition in 2008 of Jami Inc. and its four furniture brands (Harter, Fixtures Furniture, Zoom Seating, and ABCO Office Furniture).

Transitioning from an individual furniture brand to a house of brands presented a major challenge for izzy. The same belief in authenticity that nurtured izzy’s growth has also helped guide the brand through this transition. According to Saylor, it comes down to clarity of message, courage, and follow-through.

1. Clarity of the message
And if there’s meaning and purpose embedded in the message, it’s even better. “When I look at a logo and the products or services it represents,” Saylor said, “it all needs to sync up to a message that as a customer, I’m absolutely connected to, believe in, and want to support. It’s pretty amazing how few brands reach that level.”

2. Courage
Being real is far from easy—especially in an age of transparency. Once authenticity is an expressed goal for a brand, it has to permeate the organization at every level. “When you decide to be authentic, it goes way beyond the design of a logo,” Saylor said. “You have to put so much of your heart and soul into it, there is great sacrifice at all levels of a business.”

3. Follow-through
Once you decide to create that authentic idea, you have to sweat the small stuff. “Authenticity rings with attention to detail,” Saylor said. “Every little thing matters when you’re talking about authenticity.”

izzy
People Design

The furniture brand izzy is named after the founder’s granddaughter and built for her generation. With an authentic brand voice and personality, it strives to live up to its namesake.