Three Things Every Brand Needs In 2026
The market craves but one thing: coherence. The organisations that will lead in 2026 share these three traits: Identity — Intention — Immediacy.
Coherence has become a strategic requirement. Teams work across borders, timelines, and cultures. A holistic brand narrative builds consumer trust that grows through experience, not through statements.
Identity gives direction.
Intention sets the course.
Immediacy brings the brand to life through action.
Here’s how a great brand cultivates coherence to land in every market:
Identity is the compass. It is the behavioural truth people recognise before they recall a single line of messaging — the daily choice of how to exist as a business.
Teams mirror the patterns they see. Markets respond to what feels consistent. Identity creates a foundation that does not rely on slogans. Knowing who you are is not a one-time value statement written on the wall, but a daily choice, reinforced in every action.
Intention is the course that is set. It is the leadership signal that shapes direction and gives meaning to decisions.
People sometimes interpret intention through tradeoffs. But I disagree. If intention is rooted in a clear identity, it makes better choices and calculated risks obvious. Leaders create coherence through visible priorities and inspire employees to take ownership of the process. This is the expressway to purposeful growth.
Immediacy is the real-time evolution of every message sent through every action.
A brand doesn’t become real through social media messages, but through micro behaviours. These moments travel quickly through teams and across markets. Immediacy carries the story into meetings, emails, and conversations. It reveals the organisation’s identity and intention with clarity because it cannot be rehearsed or polished.
Takeaway
Brands that operate as one team — one story create confidence inside the organisation and credibility outside it.
Identity provides direction that feels steady.
Intention provides a course that feels deliberate.
Immediacy provides proof that feels authentic.
These three elements give leaders a structure for alignment that can scale. Organisations that achieve this coherence will define the pace of leadership in 2026.
Behaviour tells the story.
ST Sammel, founder
ST is an award-winning writer-director-producer and business consultant who makes story tools accessible to global executives, linking narrative psychology with leadership.