Insights Building a brand from within: The impact of culture in marketing


Culture.



As an agency, that word gets thrown around a lot.

“Company culture,” “pop culture,” “brand culture.” 

The list goes on.


But when we talk about internal culture, we’re not talking about pizza Fridays or a chatty channel in Slack. This is something deeper; it's the human operating system that should define ‘how the work gets done’; the values, behaviours, and everyday decisions that shape your brand from the inside out.


Culture shouldn’t stay within the four walls of your office. It flows into how you speak to your audience and how you serve them. When it’s effective, internal culture builds trust, loyalty, and real connection—something that endures, even as trends shift.


According to Stackla, 88% of consumers say authenticity influences which brands they support. If your brand isn’t grounded in what’s real, you’re missing a key opportunity to connect.

What is brand culture, and why does it matter?

Brand culture lives behind the scenes. It’s in how your team thinks, acts, and makes decisions when no one’s watching. It’s how challenges are faced, how leadership sets the tone, and how values guide the way forward.


This matters in marketing because you can’t promote something you don’t genuinely stand for.


With a strong internal culture your marketing simply amplifies reality in such a way that the customer and employee experiences intersect by reinforcing what we think about ourselves as a buyer or the EVP equally. 

Look at brands like Patagonia, Lego, and IKEA—their success didn’t only start with great products, but with their commitment to an internal culture that guides everything they do AND the courage to weave it into every external brand experience. 

Walk into any shop, visit their website, read their emails, you can see and feel it.

Patagonia’s commitment to environmental activism is a core part of how they operate, from supply chains to company policies. Lego has stayed true to its purpose of inspiring creativity and learning through play for decades, while evolving to stay relevant with each new generation. 

And IKEA’s values of simplicity, affordability, and sustainability shape their entire customer experience as well as their marketing. These brands are naturally evolving because they know who they are. Their internal culture gives them a clear voice and consistent presence.


Where internal culture shows up in marketing

You’ve likely seen it before. You can sense internal culture in every part of a brand’s marketing. From the words they choose, to the experiences they create, to how they treat people.


Your tone of voice mirrors your culture. Whether it’s confident, warm, or bold, it should reflect how your team actually operates.
Culture also shapes the customer experience. Saying you care means little if your service tells a different story. 

Even your social media reflects this. The most engaging brands aren’t focused on posting a polished product; they let the people behind the posts shine through.
When culture and marketing align, it’s clear. People recognise the consistency, and that’s what forms a lasting connection.

When culture and marketing don’t match

This is where trust falls apart.


When a brand promises one thing and delivers another, people notice, and they remember. We've all seen brands talk about innovation, only to deliver clunky, outdated experiences. Or shout about diversity in campaigns, while lacking it internally.


Then there’s the campaign that tries too hard to be relatable but misses the point, revealing a disconnect from the audience.

Consider Google’s “Dear Sydney” ad during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Known for heartfelt storytelling, they misstepped by using AI for what was meant to be a personal, emotional message. It came across as distant because it lacked the genuine human touch audiences expect in such moments.

The lesson? Innovation should never come at the cost of authenticity.

How marketers can use internal culture to drive engagement

Start by understanding what truly defines your brand. 

• What do you stand for? 
• How do you operate? 
• What everyday actions from your team bring your values to life? 

These are the stories worth telling.


Let your voice reflect those truths. Share what’s real from your people, your customers, your community.

If collaboration is central to who you are, show how your team comes together, or invite your audience behind the scenes.

People gravitate toward what feels genuine, and culture-driven stories are where that begins.


The more your marketing is shaped by your actual culture, the stronger and more believable it becomes.


Growth is important too. Stay open, listen to your team, your audience and the wider world, but always through the perspective of who you are.

What should you actually do about it?

Look at your team. Brands with genuine voices are built by people with diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. 

The strongest teams are united by shared values, not sameness. Make listening part of your everyday. Real conversations, supported by data. Let your audience shape your thinking, and more importantly, show them that their voice matters.


Don’t rush to speak. If you’ve not done the work behind the scenes, silence is better than empty promises. Actions, internal and external, will always matter more than slogans or jargon. 


Keep things human. People connect with honesty, with brands that sound like someone they’d talk to, not just a logo with a script or words on a pitch. 

Shaping the impact of brand culture

Are you ready to start shaping your culture?

What does your brand stand for? Let’s chat about where it’s heading and how internal culture can power your next move.