Having good branding strategies is a must if you want to thrive and succeed in 2026.
As more and more brands start to appear in your industry, the need to differentiate your brand from the competition grows.
Remember, branding strategies are more than just having a good slogan or logo.
Nowadays, you need to put in even more effort if you want people to notice and recognize your brand.
Here are our favorite winning strategies, along with examples that will help you understand their implementation.
Our Top 15 Branding Strategies for 2026
The top branding strategies explained below by our branding experts are not ordered in any way.
So take all of them as must-have branding strategies that you should implement as soon as possible.
1. Nike: Tell a Story
People don’t want brands to throw products and features at them and call it a day. People want brands to give them a reason to care about those products and features.
A fantastic way to do this is by telling a compelling story.
If executed effectively, your story can resonate emotionally with your audience, boosting both their willingness to buy and their loyalty to your brand for years to come.
Nike is a perfect example of this. They don’t sell you their products; they sell you the lifestyle and make you feel a part of their community.
Their slogan “Just Do It” has been around for almost three decades and has been used in many different ways to sell you a story.
In the early 2000s, Nike put athletes first. Their ads encouraged you to reach your best athletic potential.
While the video shows their product, it’s never the main focus. You’re watching an ad with a story that sells you what you could achieve as a person with their product.
Even though the video includes their product, it isn’t the main focus. The ad sells you on the experience and personal transformation you could have
While they don’t directly tell you to buy the product, they entice you by showing how amazing an athlete performs while using said product.
When telling a story, you want people to feel like you’re talking to them, not to the masses.
Nike excels at doing exactly that.
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2. Coca-Cola: Branding Consistency
Making sure your brand looks the same in every channel it’s in is very important if you want people to remember your brand.
Make sure your messaging, tone, color, and visuals match at every customer touchpoint. This alignment is key and shouldn’t be ignored.
The easier people can recognize your brand due to consistent exposure to the same brand identity, the better.
The best example of branding consistency is, without a doubt, Coca-Cola. They have built a global business around consistent branding. The red and white colors are always the same, with no slight deviation, and the logo is very easy to recognize.
Whether it’s online or out on the streets, you will always find a Coca-Cola ad or product no matter where you look.
You don’t have to let only big brands like Coca-Cola use the power of consistency; you can also implement brand consistency with your own business.
So you can start working on brand consistency by using the same profile picture and banner on all your brand’s social media accounts for starters.
Using your brand colors and logo in content helps keep your brand consistent across all platforms.
Your brand should be unmistakable at a glance. The biggest risk is allowing it to fade into the background among competitors with nearly identical offerings.
3. Gymshark: Influencer Partnerships Done Right
Partnering with influencers can be difficult if you don’t do enough research or partner with the right influencers for your brand.
When done correctly, it’s one of the best branding strategies from an ROI perspective.
But how do you know if the influencer you’re researching is a good fit for a partnership?
There are a few things to look out for:
With engagement sitting at around 10-20% of their follower count, it’s clear when they have an active and authentic audience. You definitely don’t want to partner with someone who bought followers and has zero real influence.
- Their audience doesn’t fit the parameters of your customer persona. If an influencer’s audience doesn’t align with who you’re looking to sell to, then it’s not worth the effort.
- Their content doesn’t fit your brand style. You need their content to align with what your brand offers and does. If it’s too different, then your partnership will feel fake to most users.
A good example of influencer partnerships done right is, hands down, Gymshark. They’ve worked with dozens of different fitness influencers to build a community around activewear.
As influencers wore the brand’s clothing in their fitness videos, interest in the brand grew.
Soon, many recognized Gymshark as a leading fitness brand.
They also appreciated the community of like-minded individuals who love both fitness and fashion.
4. GoPro: Embrace User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a fantastic way to increase your content output with minimal effort.
When customers love your product or service, they will inevitably talk about it and mention it somewhere.
Taking advantage of this and sharing said content both on your website and social media is amazing for several reasons.
It helps build trust with people who might not know your brand very well.
- It shows that you do care about your customers and what they have to say about your brand.
- It helps build social proof for your brand as a whole.
If you’ve used social media at all in the past decade, then you know about GoPro and its amazing UGC videos it’s made throughout the years. They consistently show UGC made with their cameras all the time.
It not only shows how versatile their product is, but it also helps show potential buyers how they can use it in their day-to-day life.
5. Patagonia: Use a Unique Brand Purpose
When it comes to branding strategies, having a good brand purpose is crucial for any brand looking to grow.
Why does your brand exist? Does it have a goal beyond selling products?
These are questions you should be answering and sharing on your business website.
When visitors understand your brand’s purpose and the steps you’re taking to fulfill it, they’re more likely to form an emotional connection. It shows them there’s more to your brand than just selling something.
Consumers are growing tired of soulless corporations pushing products. Today, they want brands that reflect their values and contribute to something meaningful, not just companies focused on transactions.
Patagonia’s brand purpose is a beautiful example of a unique brand purpose done right. Patagonia’s brand purpose is all about environmental sustainability and not just being an outdoor brand.
They use eco-friendly materials in their products and also donate some profits to conservation causes.
They also have a fantastic slogan that drives home their brand purpose, which says “We’re in business to save our home planet.”
All this resonates with people who love their planet and want to do something for it, even if it’s a small amount.
6. Wendy’s: Using Social Media to Engage
Using social media not only as a place to post your products and marketing campaigns but also as a way to interact with your audience is great.
Building trust becomes a lot easier when you stay involved with your audience and interact with the posts they share that feature your brand.
Showing your audience that your brand isn’t soulless but instead a brand with real people helps them relate to and trust you that much more.
A somewhat extreme example of this is Wendy’s with their unorthodox approach on X (Twitter). They often respond to customers who mention them. Their replies are clever and sometimes a bit snarky, like the example below.
Their funny responses attract a lot of community attention. They also show that they care by engaging with everyone, no matter how big the franchise is.
Their responses also get a lot of traction on X by getting thousands of people to talk about them in the hopes of getting a snarky response from it.
7. Tesla: Brand Positioning
Brand positioning means deciding how you want your audience to perceive your brand compared to others in your space. Ideally, that perception should highlight your strengths and support your brand’s long-term success.
Brand positioning focuses on showing customers what makes your brand different and valuable when they compare it to its competitors.
An often controversial brand that does this very well is Tesla. They present themselves as a high-end electric vehicle brand. They blend sustainability, technology, and luxury.
Focusing on their reduced environmental footprint helps them stand out as an ideal option for people who want an alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.
They also push the luxury narrative to show that you can be both environmentally friendly and not sacrifice luxury features.
They want their customers to know that they’re not only buying a new car, but also a vision of how the future will look in their eyes.
Are you going through a rebranding checklist but don’t know how to start? We can help.
8. Costco: Offer Amazing Value
Exceeding a customer’s expectations by consistently providing more and more value is a great way to keep customers loyal to your brand.
Provide an exceptional product, a supportive customer service, and user-friendly features, all at an appealing price point. This combination makes it easier for customer to remain committed and uninterested in alternatives.
There is no denying it, people want to feel like they’re getting the best bang for their buck on almost anything they buy.
With so many alternatives out there, it’s imperative for you to provide the best experience possible if you want to keep customers.
Costco shows us how it’s done by offering a discounted price per bulk on high-quality goods as long as you pay for their membership card.
With this card you get access to every store and all the best offers they have.
Costco’s membership renewal rates being over 90% in the US alone goes to show how much value its customers get from it.
Not only is it convenient for people to buy in bulk, but they also get to save money while doing so.
9. Disney: Provide a One-of-a-Kind Experience
Bring your brand to life with immersive experiences. From pop-ups to events or launch showcases. Emotional connections formed through these moments make your brand far more memorable.
By offering a fun and unique experience, you show them that you care about them as a customer and that you’re willing to put in that extra effort.
The best example of this is Disney. They have mastered the art of immersive experiences in all aspects.
From theme parks to online content. Disney doesn’t sell you their products or services; they sell you the Disney experience.
10. Old Spice: Use a Distinct Brand Voice
Your brand’s voice, tone, and personality are all very important if you want to stand out.
While it’s one of the easiest branding strategies to start using, it can become difficult to maintain after some time.
A recognizable brand voice helps establish authenticity and trust. Maintaining that same tone across your website and every marketing channel is essential for a cohesive brand experience.
When it comes to having a distinct brand voice, Old Spice comes to mind. They’re famous for their over-the-top and funny brand voice that is used in every single commercial they make.
It not only drives attention, but it also gets people curious about what the product would be like if its commercials were that exaggerated.
11. LEGO: Build a Community
Building an engaged community around your brand and products is a great way to keep brand relevance in an organic way.
If customers love your product enough, they can create content, share it with friends, and even provide feedback if asked.
When you create a community, you give your audience a place to connect, exchange experiences, and discuss your products. In the process, they may even spark ideas for what you should create next.
LEGO has been building a community of builders for over two decades now.
Modern brands now let fans propose the next sets they’d like to see, making people feel heard and actively involved in shaping what comes next.
12. Zappos: Use a Customer-Centric Branding
Let your customer be the center of all your branding strategies.
Make sure they feel happy every step of the way and try to exceed their expectations consistently.
Start by giving your customers a positive experience.
Then, address the things they don’t like. This helps you create a loyal customer base that keeps coming back.
Zappos is an awesome example of customer support done right. They offer free returns for up to 365 days and provide 24/7 support.
They go way above the normal amount of work needed to keep a customer happy because they want to delight their customers and keep them hooked.
13. Everlane: Brand Transparency
Being open and transparent about what your brand does and how it makes its products is a great way to gain people’s trust.
In 2026, most consumers want brands they buy products from to be more accountable.
The more transparent your brand is, the more authentic and approachable it becomes. Sharing all your information, both good and bad, helps build trust and loyalty.
This is especially important for ethically conscious customers.
A solid example of this is Everlane with its radical transparency. They openly share how much it costs them to make their products, from materials all the way to labor.
This has helped them create a following of customers who want to know where their money goes.
14. Apple: Use Customer Advocacy
Turning satisfied customers into advocates is key. They can share your products with friends and family. This approach helps you reach new audiences.
Customer advocacy mainly uses word-of-mouth and recommendations as its main ways to promote your products.
Apple is known for great branding strategies, and this one is by far one of its most successful ones.
With a loyal fan base that consistent promotes its products, Apple can fuel ongoing growth while strengthening its reputation as a premium, high-end choice.
15. Amazon: Adapt to Trends
Ongoing innovation and trend awareness help brands outperform their competitors. With how fast everything evolves and changes nowadays, responding to customer needs is more important than ever.
Failing to meet their expectations is a quick way to lose customers who know they can find similar products elsewhere.
Amazon is a good example of a company that’s constantly adapting to meet new trends. In the last couple of years, they have integrated delivery drones and AI tools into their brand.
While jumping on every trend out there is not wise, doing your research and picking the best trends for your brand certainly is.
If you want to learn even more about branding, we wrote this branding statistics article that can help you organize your brand strategy a bit more.
Let Us Kickstart Your 2026 With Powerful Branding Strategies
Don’t let 2026 be the year where you get left behind by your competitors. With Blacksmith, you can rest assured that your brand will be implementing all the best branding strategies out there for your industry.
With dozens of branding projects under our belt, we can create and execute all the branding strategies your business needs.
With our branding services, we will provide you with live feedback and updates as well so you know exactly what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
Still unsure? Give us a call and we’ll explain why it’s vital for your business to implement modern branding strategies as soon as possible.
