Why authentic marketing is a brand’s competitive advantage

Visha Kudhail, former Google and Pinterest marketer and author of Authentic Marketing, explores what authenticity means today and what brands like Nationwide are getting right.

We find ourselves in a unique time in the world. Trust has declined even further according to the Edelman Trust Barometer 2026 report as more people become insular and find themselves trusting local businesses over multinationals. We see more politicians break their promises, and the world feels more divided, instead of being united in that distrust. Now, with AI speeding up content creation and mimicking credible sources, we question what we watch and read on a regular basis.

That uncertainty is doing something unique to marketing today. It’s carving out a space for brands to show up authentically and creatively, to help people navigate the world through authentic storytelling. Whilst many brands zig towards AI-driven content that fills space on media channels or feeds the algorithm for clicks, the ones that zag and stay true to their brand will ultimately grow their bottom line.

Trust is no stranger to the finance sector. Its very foundations have been built on transparency and being factually correct. 2025 saw a crisis of grievance against institutions and a sense of unfairness that comes with that, yet it seems financial services have remained uniquely positioned to lead positive change, with the sector rising two points in 2025 to a trust score of 64%. But it seems that in today’s modern world, it’s not enough to just build trust through only being transparent. Consumers also expect brands to be consistently authentic. At the very core of this concept is creating a feeling between customer and business, a need to believe in the businesses they buy from and become loyalists over time.

This is becoming more important as consumers are everywhere and getting savvier. They are knowledge hunters looking to find information online before they make a decision, consuming content on their phones before they walk into a store or invest in a brand.

So how can we get this right?

Firstly, we must understand what being authentic actually is. It’s not a social media trend, nor is it just user-generated content. I believe being authentic should be seen as an operating model that runs deeper within a business. It’s when your tone, your message, your actions, your advertising and even what your CEO says on TV are consistently aligned. Today’s  savvy customer can see instantly when you say one thing and do another, and they’ll vote with their wallets if it doesn’t meet their expectations. And with the internet at our fingertips, we’ll hear about it too.

Marketers have too many pushes and pulls, deliberating between traditional mediums to storytell and new media channels. With so many channels to think about, it’s becoming a tough task to manage. In my new book ‘Authentic Marketing’ I share a framework that can help marketers navigate internal pivots and external challenges, centering communication around four core areas:

1. Brand truth – what’s your brand promise
2. Transparency and integrity – be clear about what you stand for
3. Consistent values – be consistent instead of chasing hype
4.  Being audience first – build with the customer, not the competition

To get into it more deeply: understanding your brand truth and your promise to the world should be your anchor, no matter what quarter-by-quarter expectations come your way. This is what the customer needs to feel to be true throughout your journey.

Being transparent and acting with integrity is something the finance sector does very well. This is all about being very clear about what you stand for, no matter what. Being consistent in your values means not jumping on a social media trend without any substance, or celebrating a cultural moment like Pride or Women’s History Month if it’s a complete departure from the day to day. And being audience-first means being data-driven by identifying genuine insight, understanding how audiences are shifting, particularly with the macroeconomic uncertainty we see today – where people are spending, saving, thinking and feeling about money in a completely different way than they were decades ago. All of which requires our own critical thinking skills to navigate all of this information.

This is a practice some have found helps them relate to audiences authentically, suddenly making them stand out amongst larger heritage brands. Monzo in particular has continued behaviour alignment as it’s scaled. Their promise, ‘Make money work for everyone’, is now an operating model throughout its marketing. Their brand voice remains human in a jargon-heavy sector, and this seeps through to their customer service, clearly stating ‘humans on hand, 24/7’, and to developing materials and tools that help customers feel comfortable with handling money, reducing anxiety, and building community. This is marketing, product and customer service in line with each other. (source: monzo.com).

Then in the US, Cash App has taken a different approach, becoming culturally fluent by finding its voice through artists and creators, supporting their journey via Cash App Studios. Because  they use it organically, it makes any advertising an artist features in feel more authentic. Being embedded in culture from the start allows Cash App to be a leader in this space, whilst others appear to be buying their way in. It’s a reminder that authenticity in finance isn’t only about trust statements, it’s about showing up where culture genuinely lives.

In the UK, Nationwide has always been a firm favourite of mine. Its promise is about banking done differently, with a heavy focus on its members, not its shareholders. That’s seen through member-only products, doing good for society, and putting community at the heart of its advertising and communication. Its recent ‘Fairer Share’ campaign saw comments like ‘thank you so much, it really helps me’ on YouTube, a sign of how Nationwide continues to head in the right direction, authentically and for their customers.

In a modern marketing era where trust is becoming even harder to earn and easier to lose, the brands that win will be the ones that show up authentically, and their audiences will follow because of it. So whilst some may think trend-hopping is their path forward, the smarter brands will focus on getting their brand truth, transparency, values and audience focus to all tell the same story, in the boardroom, on the high street and on screen.

Visha Kudhail is author of Authentic Marketing (Kogan Page, 2026) and an award-winning global marketing leader. Her career spans leadership roles at iconic companies including Pinterest, Google and Square where she has built marketing functions from the ground up, scaled teams internationally, and repositioned brands. Specialising in turning marketing strategy into measurable business outcomes, Visha received recognition as a BIMA 100 Champion for Change and received the top prize for Best Leader in Marketing, Brand at the 2022 Global Women in Marketing Awards.