Legacy and Aspirations in Business and Brand Strategies. Jaguar? They’re Calling You!

Business and Brand Strategies

In an era where brands are continuously adapting to rapid technological and cultural shifts, integrating a rich legacy with a forward-looking aspiration has become critical to enduring success.

This suggests that:

The interactions between legacy and aspirations are fundamental to developing effective strategies.
Legacy encompasses history, reputation, and established values, providing a foundation of trust and recognition.
Aspirations define future vision and objectives, driving growth and relevance among stakeholders.
Together, they enable companies and brands to honour their legacy while evolving to meet future demands.

Gia Bellini on Legacy and Aspirations

Legacy Leverages the Past without Becoming Stagnant

Company legacy is more than just a reflection of its past, it forms the bedrock of its identity, being often a source of stakeholder trust and loyalty, grounded in long-standing values, recognizable stories, and meaningful traditions.

From the brand perspective, it’s important to anchor it in the company purpose. When brands stay true to this purpose, they maintain a consistent voice that resonates across generations. For instance, brands like Harley-Davidson and Levi’s leverage their iconic status and history to reinforce an image of authenticity, resilience, and quality.

In addition, by aligning with shifting cultural norms and stakeholder mindsets, brands can update their narratives in ways that feel genuine to their legacy while remaining relevant:

Brands should draw on the company heritage to create a narrative that remains true to their core yet flexible enough to resonate in contemporary contexts.
Abandoning heritage often leads to superficial, unsustainable branding initiatives.

Furthermore, a well-defined legacy reinforces customer believes, maintaining identity while innovating. Companies like Mini have embraced new ways of sharing their legacy through digital platforms, increasing their relevance amid disruptive competitors like Airbnb and Uber.

Aspirations Serve as a Compass for Transformation and Growth

While legacy grounds the business and its brand, aspirations and ambitions fuel their future. Aspirations should function as a guiding light, bridging the past with forward-thinking goals.

These aspirations should not merely represent a company’s wishful thinking but should be directly tied to its vision for growth, innovation, and impact, driving actions that align with broader strategic goals and stakeholder expectations.

This ambition should be concrete and easily communicated to stakeholders to inspire buy-in and commitment across the organisation.

Ambition, when integrated with heritage, can create powerful “cultural moments” that propel businesses and brands forward.

For example, brands like Nike harness ambitious messaging that reinforces their legacy of empowerment while embracing innovation. Also, aspirations should be managed carefully, noting that overly ambitious strategies risk alienating “brand believers” if they diverge too far from the established values.

Aspirations should function as the vital bridge between corporate and brand strategies, driving the creation of value.

Legacy Offers Stability, while Aspirations Generate Momentum for Innovation

Companies and brands must define their goals and ambitions to adapt to an ever-changing context and stakeholder expectations.

Creating constructive collaboration between legacy and aspirations requires a brand to craft a business vision that celebrates its history while pointing boldly toward the future.

A robust brand platform can encapsulate both legacy and aspirations, offering a coherent value proposition that resonates deeply with consumers:

Acting as a touchstone for all brand interactions, ensuring a consistent experience and message.
Including the brand promise, values, and unique positioning in a way that is both timeless and contemporary.
Becoming a framework through which companies can evaluate new opportunities and threats without losing sight of their roots.

A balanced approach, where legacy guides the foundational aspects of the brand, while aspirations lead its strategic executive initiatives, ensures that each step toward innovation remains aligned with what made the brand valuable in the first place.

For example, Burberry honours its heritage with campaigns such as ‘Art of the Trench’, while fully embracing digitalisation to create a modern experience.

In Today’s Branding Landscape, Brands Must Be Sincere!

Brands must be sincere in their commitments, aligning their actions with values that are genuine, rooted in their heritage and driven by their aspirations.

This commitment extends to all the company’s responsibilities. It demonstrates integrity, aligning the story with visible and impactful actions that resonate with key audiences on an ethical basis.

This perspective ensures that the company and its brand build credibility and a genuine connection with its stakeholders. The brand stories behind the company should reflect its true values rather than creating an idealized version that may be hard to sustain.

Challenges and Risks in Balancing Legacy and Aspirations

Achieving a balance between legacy and aspiration presents inherent challenges. While innovation is necessary, it should not erode the core elements that define a brand’s identity.

This perspective is particularly relevant in cases of mergers or rebranding, where brands risk alienating stakeholders if the new identity veers too far from established expectations. Each strategic decision should be weighed against the brand’s long-term objectives, ensuring that immediate actions do not compromise its foundational values.

Brands may pursue change for change’s sake, inadvertently distancing themselves from their believers. Over-innovation, as an aspirational brand transformation, can sometimes miss the mark if they don’t resonate with its audiences.

The key lies in balancing innovation with consistency, ensuring that each new initiative feels like a natural evolution rather than a departure from the brand’s essence.