Article

How to Shape Brand Perception and Build Customer Trust

June 4, 2025

You don’t own your brand. Your customers do.

That may sound harsh, but it’s the truth. Your brand perception isn’t determined by your logo, your tagline, or even your marketing budget. It’s shaped by how people experience your business and what they tell others about it.

So if you want to build a brand that means something, you have to start by asking a tough question:

What do people really think of us?

What Is Brand Perception—And Why It Matters

Brand perception is simple: what someone thinks when they hear your name. It includes how they feel about you, what they believe you offer, and whether they trust you.

You can influence this perception, but you can’t control it. That’s what makes it so important—and so tricky. If there’s a gap between how you see yourself and how others see you, you’ve got work to do.

But there’s more to it than that. At Backstory, we define a brand as:

“The perception someone has of a person, place, thing, or idea.”

That means no perception = no brand.

Brand Perception vs. Brand Awareness: Know the Difference

These terms often get confused, but they’re not the same.

Brand awareness is about recognition. Have people heard of you?
Brand perception is about reputation. What do they think and feel when they have?

Recognition alone doesn't build trust. It's not enough for people to know your name; they need to understand what you stand for and why it matters. Clarity and consistency are what turn awareness into loyalty.

Brand Perception vs. Brand Image: Clarity Over Control

Let’s clear up another mix-up:

Brand image is how you design your brand to look.
Brand perception is what they actually think about it.

Your internal team can build your image as part of your Brand Personality. But perception? That comes from every experience your audience has with you: your website, your customer service, your product, your people.

So yes, design matters. But alignment matters more.

The 3 Types of Brand Perception

To fully understand how customers see you, you need to explore three angles:

Functional – What does your product or service actually do?
Emotional – How does your brand make them feel?
Aspirational – What does your brand help them become?

For example, Nike isn’t just known for shoes (functional). It’s known for drive and determination (emotional). It helps customers feel like athletes (aspirational). That’s what makes it unforgettable.

Brand Perception in Marketing: It Drives Every Decision

Brand perception affects every marketing move you make.

When your brand is misunderstood, your campaigns miss. When your brand is trusted, people listen. And when people believe in your promise, they’re far more likely to buy, refer, and stay.

Everything from your homepage headline to your sales deck should reinforce a consistent, clear brand perception.

Real Brand Perception Examples That Show It in Action

Crucial Learning: Teaching Teams the Skills That Matter Most

VitalSmarts had built bestselling training programs, but their brand name sounded like a supplement company. It didn’t reflect what they actually helped people do. When they rebranded to Crucial Learning, they clarified their message: to teach the essential skills that drive performance—communication, accountability, and behavior change. This shift turned them from a content provider into a capability builder. Their name now matches their mission—and their perception finally lines up with their impact.

Tanner: Turning a Local Firm into a Talent Magnet

Tanner wasn’t just another accounting firm—but to outsiders, it looked and sounded like one. The brand felt dated, even though the work wasn’t. So they made a bold move. By repositioning around next-generation relevance, Tanner went from playing it safe to standing out. They clarified what made them different, refreshed their brand identity, and created a story that resonated with both rising talent and forward-thinking clients. The result is a firm people now seek out, not just stumble across.

How to Measure Brand Perception: Go Beyond the Surface

If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Here’s how to get real insights:

1. Run a Brand Perception Survey

Don’t overcomplicate it. Ask clear, open-ended questions like:

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of our brand?
How would you describe us to a friend?
If we disappeared tomorrow, what would you miss?

2. Use In-Depth Interviews

Surveys give you the “what.” Interviews give you the “why.” Use the Brand Ladder Method to get below the surface—ask about features, benefits, feelings, and values. Check out more about the Brand Ladder Method in this article.

3. Check Third-Party Reviews and Social Media

What are people saying when they think no one’s watching? That’s your brand perception, unfiltered.

What Brand Perception Research Teaches Us

Academic research confirms what good brands already know:

Customers don’t just buy products—they buy feelings.
Brands with strong emotional resonance tend to earn more loyalty, achieve higher margins, and experience better retention.

One study showed that emotional connection can account for up to 50% of brand loyalty. Logic might get people to consider you. Emotion gets them to commit.