Summary

Many assume that legacy messaging—simply repeating heritage—will make a brand relevant to younger consumers. It rarely does, because the story isn’t recast for today’s expectations. What works is a living narrative, executed coherently and backed by credible proof. That’s how heritage becomes contemporary meaning—and earns lasting preference.

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Our Perspective

What this means for leaders navigating growth, change or transformation in their organisation.

The Translation Gap

Most legacy messages were engineered for a different cultural moment: mass media, linear journeys, deference to authority. Younger consumers aren’t hostile to heritage; they simply parse signals differently. Repeating yesterday’s slogans or provenance stories, even beautifully, rarely answers the question they’re actually asking: “What does this brand mean for my life now?”

Relevance, then, is a translation problem. It’s about carrying the core truth forward while updating the context, references and proof. When that translation doesn’t happen, younger audiences assume the brand is for someone else. The result isn’t controversy; it’s indifference—silent attrition that shows up in growth, pricing power and share.

What Younger Audiences Hear

Younger consumers scan for alignment and action, not ceremony. EY notes that in early 2025, 54% of Gen Z and Millennials said they were likelier than older cohorts to switch brands, underscoring the fragility of loyalty.

When legacy messages miss, they typically land as:

• Nostalgia as exclusion: heritage framed as “the good old days” signals it’s not built for them.
• Claims without evidence: sustainability or fairness stated, but not demonstrated.
• Category-first logic: product features over outcomes that improve daily life.
• Inconsistent cues: tone on social says “modern,” packaging and retail still speak “museum.”

Build A Living Narrative

The way through is not a louder campaign; it’s a sharper meaning. Start with a strategic narrative that connects what’s enduring—the problem you’ve always solved—with what’s urgent in culture and the category today. Then make that meaning unavoidable across touchpoints.

Translate intent into choices that compound:

• Bridge heritage to now: reposition your origin story as a commitment that still guides current decisions.
• Dramatise relevance: redesign moments of use, not just visual identity, to express the updated promise.
• Prove, don’t perform: publish measurable progress on materials, sourcing or community impact.

Governance Beats Campaigns

Misalignment isn’t a creative issue; it’s a leadership one. Without clear guardrails, teams debate tactics while the market moves on. Set decision rights for narrative, define proof standards, and align incentives so product, channel, and communications express the same intent. Most organisations we work with discover the issue isn’t taste or tech—it’s a story that hasn’t been translated for a new generation.

Do this well, and heritage becomes momentum rather than ballast. As generations rotate and expectations rise, the brands that re-express enduring value in contemporary terms won’t just win attention; they’ll sustain preference that compounds.

Sources:

• EY Future Consumer Index: US consumers rethink brand loyalty as macroeconomic pressure mounts — EY

Further Resources

1. Why Price and Convenience Alone Fail Modern Consumers
2. Transforming D2C to Retail: The Essential Rebranding Framework
3. Navigating Brand Equity Beyond Founder Influence in Consumer Brands

Curious how this applies in your market? We’re speaking with leaders across industries every week. Let’s talk.

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