65% gap between executives and consumers. A branding issue?

Here's a statistic that should concern every founder and leader. ⤵️

80% of executives believe their brand understands consumer emotions.

Only 15% of consumers agree. (Source: Bloggin Lift)

This is not a branding issue. Well, it is, but also...

it’s a perception architecture failure. Which kinda makes it a branding issue.

❌ Because when leaders believe they are understood, they STOP INVESTIGATING.

❌ And when consumers feel misunderstood, they STOP ENGAGING.

🆘 That 65% gap is where growth quietly dies.

Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes:

1️⃣ Leaders confuse intention with impact

You may intend to communicate value, empathy, and clarity.

But markets don’t respond to intention.

They respond to what THEY perceive, feel & experience.

If your messaging says:

 “We care about our customers.”

But your audience feels:

 “That's not true because they never answer my inquiries.”

Then their perception will win. Always.

A brand is a holistic experience for the audience.

2️⃣ Internal clarity does not equal external clarity

🏢 Inside your company:

 • Your positioning feels obvious

 • Your value feels clear

 • Your differentiators make sense

🌍 Outside your company:

 • Your messaging blends with competitors

 • Your content sounds generic

 • Your emotional tone feels neutral

Founders often live too close to their own narrative.

❗ Clarity internally does not guarantee resonance externally.

3️⃣ Emotion is rarely engineered; it’s created by the consumer based on their direct experience wth the brand holistically

⚙️ Most brands engineer:

 • funnels

 • campaigns

 • offers

 • pricing

🔵 Very few work on:

 • emotional connection

 • identity alignment

 • psychological safety

 • aspirational reinforcement

♥️ And yet emotion drives:

 • retention

 • loyalty

 • advocacy

 • willingness to pay

You cannot expect emotional connection by accident.

➡️ Now here’s the thing:

If consumers don’t feel emotionally understood,

they don’t disengage dramatically.

They disengage quietly.

• They scroll past you.

 • They hesitate before buying.

 • They compare you longer.

 • They choose someone who “just feels right.”

Growth doesn’t collapse.

It slowly erodes, or never even compounds.

➡️ So how do you close the gap?

You don’t do it with louder messaging.

You do it with deeper alignment.

➡️ If you’re a founder or leader reading this, ask yourself:

Are you measuring how clearly you communicate or how deeply you connect?

Because those are not the same metrics and the difference between them is where your next stage of growth lives.

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📌 I help founders, leaders and creatives turn their brand into a strategic asset that attracts opportunities, partnerships and growth. Whether you’re building a personal brand, launching a business, or growing a creative career, I help you be chosen, not just noticed.

Teja Jereb

Business Brand Developer and Strategist | Music Artist and Producer Manager & Developer

... with 14 years of creative and music industry experience, helping you reach your next level of success, growth, and expansion.