Over the last few years, the relationship between consumers and brands has undergone a tectonic shift. The debate that has grown around trust, and trust in businesses specifically, is a symptom of that change, as people increasingly look to brands to improve their lives not just meet their product needs. In his lecture, Peter explores two specific themes:

• that the successful delivery of a brand promise is not static but a continuous process of incremental innovation;
• that consumers increasingly look to brands to do something greater in their lives than simply deliver functional performance.

Drawing on his experience working on brands and in-depth research on the role for brands in a modern world, Peter explores the tension that exists between consumers and brands, what that means for trust and the challenge facing brands today as they seek to be meaningful in people’s lives. He highlights the companies that are getting it right as well as the companies and sectors that have work to do.