Originally published: June 2020 | Last updated: October 2025

How many times has your purchase experience not lived up to the brand promise you were sold?  How did it make you feel?

The very existence of Trustpilot, Reevo, trustatrader and more tells us that it’s an endemic problem that many organisations suffer as they race to compete.

I can’t imagine there are many businesses out there that set out to disappoint customers so something must happen along the way that irrevocably alters the course of their customer service.

We believe there are three possible reasons for this breakdown in the promise/experience equation.

1. The business simply cannot fulfil the brand promise.  Examples of this could be an operational issue that no-one saw coming, the organisation not being able to grow with demand, or bottom-line efficiencies needing to drive decisions.
2. The brand promise doesn’t reflect the core business.  If you said fast, but in reality, you’re meticulous, people might be too irritated that you’re late to recognise the quality of your work.
3. The core business has evolved.  Wrigley recognised the gum he gave away with washing detergent was more popular than the detergent itself, he pivoted his company, and later his brand.

If you and your team live and breathe a brand that’s centred on the very best of your business, you can’t go wrong.

If you want to talk about it, we’d love to listen.

FAQs 

1. Why do businesses struggle to keep their brand promises?
Many organisations face a gap between intention and execution, whether due to operational limits, misaligned messaging, or evolving business models. Over time, this weakens trust and consistency in the customer experience. 

2. How can a brand promise lose relevance?
A brand promise can lose its truth when the business grows, changes, or shifts focus. If the core offer evolves but the messaging stays the same, customers can feel misled or confused. 

3. What’s the impact of breaking a brand promise?
When a promise isn’t kept, customer disappointment follows, and that erodes trust fast. In today’s transparent world of reviews and ratings, inconsistency can do lasting damage to reputation. 

4. How can brands stay true to their promise?
Start by defining your brand around what you genuinely do best. Involve your teams in living that promise every day. Regularly revisit it to ensure it still reflects your values, capabilities, and audience expectations.