On Content & Brand Equity

There’s been a lot said – and argued – about content being the new brand equity. It’s not a new conversation, but it’s gaining momentum. Because in a world where trust is fractured and attention is fleeting, what you say and how you say it matters more than ever. Maybe even more than what you sell.

But let’s back up.

What is brand equity, really? We throw the term around like everyone’s on the same page. But brand equity, at its core, is the sum total of everything people think, feel, and believe about your brand – and how willing they are to act on it. It’s built slowly, but lost fast. It’s emotional. It’s earned. And it’s fragile.

And today, it’s being built – or broken – hrough content.

Not through campaigns. Not through clever taglines. Through content.

Because content is how brands show up in the world. It’s how you demonstrate values, not just list them. It’s how you create memory, meaning, and a reason for someone to care even when they’re not in market.

In short, content is no longer a vehicle. It is the value.

Content That Builds Equity in the Wild

Let’s get specific. Why does this matter?

Because the rules of engagement have changed.

And some brands are playing a different game.

Dove didn’t build a movement around Real Beauty by buying more ads. They did it by telling better stories—ones that invited women into the conversation and gave them something to believe in.

Barbie didn’t make a cultural comeback because of product features. Barbie became a $1.5B box office phenomenon because the content elevated the brand, not the other way around. The movie wasn’t just a piece of entertainment. It was a brand act. A 90-minute Trojan horse of values, voice, and vision.

Hailey Bieber’s Rhode? It’s not just a skincare brand – it’s a content engine. Every TikTok, every YouTube feature, every glazed-donut-skin tutorial isn’t just a marketing play. It’s the brand. It’s the equity being built in real time, swipe by swipe. And now, with its recent acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty, that equity didn’t just drive influence; it drove enterprise value.

And let’s not forget Patagonia. Their content isn’t flashy. It’s principled. Purposeful. Measured. And because of that, it builds trust and consistency – the kind that makes consumers stay loyal even when competitors offer more convenience or a lower price. That’s brand equity. Quietly earned, loudly defended.

This isn’t theory—it’s lived experience.

I’ve seen it play out in the work.

At BBDO, while leading global sports marketing for Gillette, we took what many saw as a commodity – a razor – and elevated it into a cultural symbol. During the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup, we didn’t just talk about blades and performance. We told a story about identity, pride, and ritual. The razor became a symbol of fandom, of national allegiance, and of what it meant to be your best when it mattered most. We connected grooming to greatness—not through product specs, but through emotional storytelling that gave men around the world something bigger to believe in.

At Verizon, we scaled that same philosophy. Instead of marketing network speed, we focused on human impact—how connectivity helped first responders save lives, how 5G empowered entrepreneurs, how broadband created access in underserved communities. Through documentary content, brand storytelling, and values-led creative, we shifted perception from telecom to technology leader. And that equity – emotional, earned, and rooted in relevance – became one of Verizon’s most durable strategic assets.

And at BlueJeans, we brought that lens to a scrappy B2B challenger brand. With limited media budget and a need to stand out in a crowded video conferencing market, we focused on content that gave the product context. We spotlighted surgeons collaborating across continents, teachers reimagining remote classrooms, and CEOs keeping global teams aligned.

These weren’t just features; they were stories of impact. That shift helped reposition BlueJeans from a utility into a purpose-driven brand built on connection and modern work.

The research backs this up.

A recent academic study out of Wuhan University of Technology found a strong positive relationship between content marketing and brand equity – but not directly. The bridge? Customer perceived value.

Translation: content doesn’t automatically build brand equity. But when people find value in what you’re saying – when it teaches them, helps them, entertains them, moves them – it creates a positive perception. That perception becomes the foundation of equity. It builds trust, attachment, and memory. And those are the currencies of brand.

So what does this mean for marketers?

It means we need to stop asking content to do what media used to. Content isn’t a distribution problem. It’s a value creation opportunity.

It means content isn’t “just part of the funnel.” It’s part of the brand. Full stop.

It means we need to measure its impact not just in likes or shares, but in memory, in perception, in preference, and in whether people want you in their lives when they’re not shopping.

It means we need to stop chasing frequency and start cultivating relevance.

Because here’s the hard truth: people don’t want more branded content. They want content from brands that gets them. That respects their time. That speaks to who they are or who they want to be.

The equity is in the expectation.

When someone opens your email, scrolls past your post, clicks your video they’re bringing a set of expectations with them. Expectations about the tone. The quality. The values behind the message.

Meet those expectations – better yet, exceed them – and your equity grows. Fall short, and it erodes. Slowly at first, then all at once.

That’s the thing with content. It builds equity through a thousand small moments. Most of which no one will ever talk about. But they’ll feel them. And those feelings, earned over time, become memory. Loyalty. Advocacy.

A final word for the skeptics.

There will always be those who ask: “But does it drive sales?”

Yes. Eventually. But not always right away. Because brand equity isn’t a campaign KPI. It’s the long game.

It’s the reason people buy from you when they don’t have to. The reason they stick around. The reason they tell others.

Content doesn’t replace product. It doesn’t replace price. But it is the thing that carries your brand from one transaction to the next. The connective tissue. The narrative arc. The soul of your company, shared in public.

Content is the new brand equity. But only if we treat it like it is.

Not as an afterthought. Not as a bolt-on. Not as filler between campaigns.

But as the clearest, truest expression of who we are, why we exist, and what we believe.

Not everyone will read your brand book. But they will read your posts. Watch your videos. Listen to your podcast. Scroll your feed. That’s where the brand lives now.

If you’re not building brand equity through your content, you’re not building brand equity at all.