Even the most sophisticated organizations can lose their branding footing.
Whether you’re a fast-growing startup or an established company with years of history, it’s surprisingly easy to fall into traps that confuse your message or disconnect you from your customers.
The good news? Branding mistakes even smart companies make are common and completely fixable. Here are five branding problems we see repeatedly—and the step-by-step solutions we use to help our clients at DoubleShot Creative.
Quick Self-Assessment: Is your brand making these mistakes?
Before we dive in, ask yourself:
- Does your company sound different on social media than on your website?
- Are you trying to serve “everyone” instead of focusing on your best customers?
- Do you talk more about what your product does than how it helps people?
- Did you recently redesign without a clear business reason?
- Would your employees struggle to explain what your brand stands for?
If you answered “yes” to any of these, keep reading.
Mistake 1: Inconsistent brand messaging across different channels
What this means:
Your company sounds like different people wrote your website, social media, emails, and advertisements—because they probably did.
Why it happens:
Different teams create content without clear guidelines about how the company should “sound.” Marketing writes one way, customer service another, and social media tries to be trendy while the website stays formal.
Real example:
Peloton in 2020 ran premium, aspirational TV ads targeting serious fitness enthusiasts, while their social media tried to be relatable and meme-friendly. This created confusion about whether they were a luxury fitness brand or an accessible lifestyle company.
How to fix it (step-by-step):
- Audit what you have now: Collect examples from your website, social posts, emails, and ads
- Create a simple brand voice guide: Define 3-5 words that describe how you want to sound (professional but approachable, expert but not intimidating, etc.)
- Write example phrases: Show what you would and wouldn’t say in different situations
- Share it with everyone: Make sure every person who creates content has access to these guidelines
- Do regular check-ins: Review your communications monthly to ensure consistency
Mistake 2: Trying to appeal to everyone instead of your ideal customer
What this means:
Your marketing tries to speak to every possible customer, which means it doesn’t really connect with anyone.
Why it happens:
Fear of missing out on potential sales, or or an internal pressure to be “inclusive” of every possible use case for your product or service
Real example:
JCPenney tried to transform from a discount retailer to an upscale department store. They alienated their loyal bargain-hunting customers but failed to attract the premium shoppers they wanted. Sales dropped 25% in one year.
How to fix it:
- Define your ideal customer clearly: Create a detailed profile of your best customer—not just demographics, but their challenges, goals, and how they make decisions
- Accept that you can’t serve everyone: Focus on the customers who get the most value from what you offer
- Speak directly to them: Use language, examples, and solutions that resonate with your target audience
- Test your messaging: Ask actual customers if your marketing speaks to them
Remember: It’s better to be the perfect solution for some people than an okay option for everyone.
Mistake 3: Leading with product features instead of customer benefits
What this means: You talk about what your product or service does instead of how it improves people’s lives.
Why it happens: Product teams love technical specifications and features., but customers care more about solving their problems and achieving their goals.
Real example: Before CEO Satya Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft focused heavily on technical specs—processing speed, software capabilities, and functionality. Meanwhile, Apple was selling creativity, simplicity, and lifestyle transformation. Apple’s approach resonated more emotionally with consumers.
How to fix it:
- List your main features: Write down what your product or service actually does
- Translate features into benefits: For each feature, ask “So what? How does this help the customer?”
- Connect to emotions: Go deeper—how does this benefit make people feel? More confident? Less stressed? More successful?
- Lead with the transformation: Start your marketing with the end result, then explain how you deliver it
Example transformation:
- Feature-focused: “Our software has advanced analytics and real-time reporting”
- Benefit-focused: “Make confident business decisions with instant insights into what’s actually working”
Mistake 4: Redesigning your brand without a clear business strategy
What this means:
Changing your logo, colors, or visual identity just because you’re tired of how it looks, without connecting it to your business goals.
Why it happens:
Visual fatigue, or treating design as separate from business strategy. Sometimes companies redesign to look “more modern” without considering whether their current brand actually needs changing
Real example:
Girl Scouts of the USA redesigned their iconic logo in 2020, removing the beloved silhouette that had been recognized for decades. The backlash was immediate and intense, showing how attached people can be to familiar brand elements
How to fix it:
- Start with strategy, not design: Before changing anything visual, clarify your business goals
- Ask the right questions: Are you targeting new customers? Entering new markets? Changing your positioning compared to competitors?
- Test before you launch: Show new designs to current customers and get honest feedback
- Consider messaging first: Sometimes your logo is fine—.Your messaging might be the real problem
Key insight:
Your brand visuals should support your business strategy, not just look trendy.
Mistake 5 : Forgetting about your internal brand (your own team)
What this means:
Focusing all your branding efforts on external customers while forgetting that your employees are your most powerful brand representatives
Why it happens:
Companies treat branding as a marketing-only activity, forgetting that every employee interaction shapes how people perceive the brand.
Real example:
Better.com promoted “people-first mortgage innovation” in their public marketing while simultaneously laying off 900 employees via a brief Zoom call. The disconnect between their external message and internal actions caused massive brand damage and public criticism
How to fix it:
- Include your team in branding decisions: Share the reasoning behind brand changes and get their input
- Create internal brand training: Help employees understand not just what you do, but why it matters
- Give them the tools: Provide templates, talking points, and guidelines so they can represent the brand consistently
- Live your values internally: Make sure your company culture matches what you promise customers
- Regular check-ins: Ask employees if they feel connected to and proud of the brand
Remember: If your people don’t understand or believe in your brand, your customers won’t either.
How do you know if these fixes are working?
Track these simple metrics:
- Message consistency: Do new customers mention the same key benefits when explaining why they chose you?
- Employee confidence: Can your team easily explain what makes your company different?
- Customer clarity: Are people using your products/services the way you intended?
- Referral quality: Are you attracting more of your ideal customers through word-of-mouth?
What’s your next step?
The smartest thing you can do for your brand is pause, assess honestly, and make intentional changes. These mistakes aren’t fatal, ,but ignoring them can slowly erode your market position and customer relationships.
Start with one area: Pick the mistake that resonates most with your current situation and focus there first. Small, consistent improvements often work better than trying to fix everything at once.
Look at successful brand strategies such as the ones DesignRush profiles.
Need help identifying which areas need the most attention? A professional brand audit can provide clarity and a roadmap for improvement. At DoubleShot Creative, we help companies bring their brands back into alignment with purpose, clarity, and results that matter.
Ready to strengthen your brand strategy? Let’s talk about how to make your messaging more consistent, compelling, and connected to your business goals.
