By Francis

Copyright thebftonline

By Bernard Kelvin Clive

When we talk about brands, we often highlight logos, packaging, pricing, or advertising. But behind all these is something deeper—beliefs.

A brand is not just what it sells; it is what people believe about it. These beliefs are built over years, sometimes decades, and they become so ingrained in the minds of consumers that they pass from one generation to the next.

Think about Apple. To many, Apple represents sleekness, innovation, and high-end technology.

Consumers believe that when they buy an Apple product, they are buying something more than a device—they are buying into a culture of design, creativity, and prestige. Similarly, Coca-Cola has built the belief that its drink refreshes.

No matter the competition, people associate the brand with a satisfying, uplifting feeling. Mercedes-Benz is seen as a mark of quality and prestige, while Toyota has become synonymous with reliability.

These are not coincidences. They are belief systems that companies have nurtured, communicated, and protected over time. And just like personal beliefs shape our decisions, brand beliefs shape the choices consumers make every day.

Beliefs Begin Early

To illustrate, let me share a personal story. Years ago, when my children were much younger, I often took them with me to the barber shop. It became a little routine—daddy gets a haircut, and they come along. Over time, they built a belief: men go to the barber to trim their hair, and women go to the salon to braid or style theirs.

One day, as we walked through town, they spotted a man with braided hair. Their reaction was immediate: “Daddy, men don’t braid their hair. Why is that man doing it?” To them, it seemed wrong because it contradicted the belief formed in their young minds. They had only seen men with clean cuts, never with braids.

What happened here is the same thing that happens with brands. Consumers build expectations based on repeated exposure and cultural norms. When a brand introduces something that goes against those beliefs, it can feel unusual or even unacceptable.

Cultural Norms and Brand Acceptance

In some cultures, colors carry specific meanings. A color that represents joy and celebration in one society might symbolize mourning in another. Imagine launching a product in a new market without understanding this—you might unknowingly offend or confuse potential customers.

For instance, in parts of Asia, white is linked with mourning, while in Western societies it often represents purity and celebration. If a wedding brand heavily marketed itself with white in Asia without cultural adaptation, it might struggle to gain acceptance.

This shows how critical it is for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and even multinational corporations to understand the cultural beliefs of the people they serve. It is not enough to have a quality product; the product must align with the beliefs and values of the consumer base.

The Power of Exposure

Back to my children. Another interesting belief they once held was about school drop-offs. Because I often took them to school in the mornings, they came to believe that “dads take children to school.” When they saw kids walking with their mothers, their assumption was not that the mother was accompanying them, but that the children were walking by themselves. In their minds, moms did not do school drop-offs—because they hadn’t seen it often.

This may sound amusing, but it reflects a powerful truth: our environment shapes our beliefs until we are exposed to new realities. Once they saw more diversity in school routines, their thinking adjusted.

The same happens with consumers. Exposure to new experiences can shift brand beliefs. A community may resist a new product at first, but with consistent communication, education, and cultural sensitivity, they can come to embrace it.

That’s why global brands spend so much effort on localizing their campaigns. They know that breaking through entrenched beliefs takes time, patience, and respect for cultural values.

Lessons for Brands and Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs and brand owners, there are key takeaways here:

Understand the Cultural Context.

Before launching or promoting a product, research how people in that community perceive certain colors, symbols, or even product categories. What feels ordinary to you might carry deep meaning to them.

Respect Existing Beliefs

Do not dismiss consumer beliefs as backward or irrelevant. They are the foundation of how people see the world. Work with them, not against them.

Educate and Reorient.

Sometimes, beliefs need gentle reorientation. Just as my children eventually accepted that men can also braid their hair, consumers can learn to accept new brand trends if guided properly. Use storytelling, marketing campaigns, and demonstrations to help shift perceptions.

Be Consistent.

Beliefs form through repetition. If your brand wants to be associated with reliability, consistency is key. Every touchpoint must reinforce that message until it becomes second nature to consumers.

Maximize Exposure.

Consumers must be exposed to your brand in meaningful ways. Sponsorships, community involvement, or simple word-of-mouth can help break down barriers and introduce new ideas.

Beliefs are powerful. They can make or break a brand. But when managed wisely, they become a brand’s strongest asset.

Why Beliefs Outlive Products

One striking thing about brand beliefs is that they often outlive the products themselves. Generations pass them down. A grandfather who drove a Toyota and trusted it for reliability may influence his children and grandchildren to buy Toyota cars—not because they have personally tested every brand, but because of the belief ingrained through family stories and lived experiences.

It shows that entrepreneurs cannot only think about the present; they must think about building a brand belief that survives beyond trends. When you create a brand that people associate with trust, quality, or satisfaction, that belief becomes your legacy.

The usual resistance to change

But here’s the challenge: once beliefs are deeply set, they are hard to change. Consumers resist what feels unfamiliar. We see this in fashion, food, technology, and even social behavior.

For small fashion businesses. If you introduce a new dress style in a conservative community, you may initially face resistance—not because your design lacks quality, but because it challenges the cultural belief of what clothing should look like. Over time, however, consistent exposure and storytelling can help people reorient.

Using Storytelling for Reorientation

This is where storytelling becomes powerful. People rarely abandon beliefs just because of facts or statistics. They need stories, lived examples, and cultural references to help them see things differently.

When I explained to my kids that some men braid their hair as a form of style or cultural identity, I was telling them a story. Over time, they saw more examples and accepted the idea.

For brands, storytelling might mean showing how a product fits into daily life, how others have embraced it, or how it connects with cultural values. It could also mean drawing from local traditions and linking them with modern innovations.

For example, a beverage brand can tell stories of how sharing a drink is part of communal culture, positioning itself as not just a product but a tradition.

Using exposure in breaking barriers

Beliefs shift when people are exposed to new ways of living, either by traveling, reading, or interacting with others. A person who has never left their hometown may have fixed beliefs, but once they travel abroad, they realize that things can be done differently.

Brands can create this exposure deliberately. For instance, a local fashion brand can showcase its designs at international fairs, share content online, or collaborate with influencers from different cultures. These acts not only expand visibility but also challenge entrenched beliefs about what is acceptable or desirable.

Without exposure, innovation struggles. With exposure, innovation becomes an invitation to new possibilities.

Quick Guidelines for Entrepreneurs and MSMEs

For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in Africa, understanding the intersection of beliefs and branding is not optional—it’s survival. Here are practical guidelines:

Research Deeply Before Launching.

Learn about your target audience’s cultural values, traditions, and unspoken rules. What do certain colors, symbols, or designs mean to them? A product launch without this knowledge risks rejection.

Position products as extensions of culture.

Instead of fighting cultural beliefs, integrate your brand into them. A food business, for example, could tie its product to a local festival, making it feel like part of the culture rather than an outsider.

Educate with Patience.

Do not expect immediate acceptance of new ideas. Use campaigns, community engagement, and customer education to slowly reorient thinking.

Tell Authentic Stories.

Let people see real examples of others using your product. Share testimonials, cultural connections, and stories that reflect shared values.

Stay Consistent Across Generations.

Build a legacy brand by ensuring that your core message remains consistent. Over time, consumers will pass down the belief that “this brand delivers.”

Listen and Adapt.

Brands that ignore consumer beliefs risk alienation. Always listen to feedback and adjust how you present your product without compromising its quality.

Examples of Cultural Adaptation

Global brands have learned this lesson the hard way. When Pepsi launched its “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation” campaign in certain Asian markets, particularly in China, the slogan was literally translated. This resulted in a culturally insensitive and unintentionally bizarre message: “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.”

This mistranslation was a significant cultural blunder, as it went against the deep reverence for ancestors in Chinese culture. The brand had to quickly change its messaging and strategy to regain consumer trust and acceptance in the market.

Why beliefs should be central to your branding strategy.

At the end of the day, beliefs drive behavior. People do not only buy products, they buy what those products represent in their minds. A customer choosing between two equally good beverages might go with the one they “believe” makes them feel refreshed, even if blind tests show little difference.

That belief is not logical; it is emotional, cultural, and psychological. Which means that as an entrepreneur, your task is not only to make great products but to embed them in the belief systems of your consumers.

When you achieve this, your brand becomes more than a product. It becomes part of people’s lives, passed on from one generation to the next.

In conclusion, as entrepreneurs, business owners, and brand builders, we must pay close attention to the cultural and psychological beliefs of our audience. These beliefs influence buying decisions more than any advertisement or sales pitch.

Beliefs are powerful—they shape societies, families, and brands. If we respect them, align with them, and sometimes gently reorient them, we can build brands that last.

So the question for you is: what do consumers believe about your brand today, and what will they pass on to the next generation?

Now, it’s your turn.