Beyond the Branded Mug

Branding to employees is a critical but often forgotten step. If you can’t convince the people within your organization that you have a remarkable product or service, you won’t convince the general public.

Your employees can gain your customers’ trust or lose it based on their enthusiasm for your organization, inside and outside of the workplace. Today, that internal alignment is more urgent than ever. According to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, society has shifted into a deep state of insularity. 70% of people are now hesitant or unwilling to trust anyone with different values, backgrounds, or viewpoints. This friction directly impacts the workplace: 42% of employees admit they would rather switch departments than report to a manager with different views, and 34% would put less effort into a project if the lead held opposing beliefs. 

However, the data also reveals a massive opportunity: “My Employer” remains the most trusted institution globally, at 78%. Employees are actively looking to their workplaces to act as trust brokers. In fact, 82% of employees believe their organizations should promote a shared identity and culture to build trust and bridge these internal divides.

We’ve all seen the traditional way of branding to employees: a big company meeting where you explain the brand mission, vision, and values, and then hand out some cheap branded merchandise like a t-shirt or a mug. All set, right? They’re ready to preach the gospel of your company. Wrong. In today’s complex and fragmented work environment, they need more. They need to feel valued, unified, and connected. The message needs to feel authentic to who they are as people. What they see inside the company needs to match what they are expected to say to the outside world.

Here are 7 not-so-traditional ways to get your employees to “live the brand”:

1. Find their strengths

When you present your brand attributes to employees, do an exercise to determine how each employee can use their own authentic traits and skills to support and deliver on that promise. The key word here is authentic. You should never be heavy-handed with employees or their promotion of you won’t ring true.

2. Give them options

When you create branded merchandise, give your employees options and encourage them to give feedback on their favorite design. Offer size-inclusive, gender-neutral, and eco-friendly swag options that align with modern expectations. If the merchandise feels cheap or non-inclusive, employees won't use it.

3. Make your brand tools accessible

Your employees need readily accessible tools to be able to commit your messaging to memory. Utilize Brand Asset Management platforms to make their jobs easier: templates, brand message checklists, elevator speeches, brand stories, brand guidelines, photo libraries, etc. If everyone has access to the same content, your message will be consistent.

4. Create the right environment

Make your physical, digital, and cultural environment a reflection of your brand attributes. Embed your brand culture into your office space and your digital spaces like Zoom, Slack, or Teams hubs. Create virtual community rituals to let them know that it’s not just about the bottom line. You care about their well-being and want them to advance in their career.

5. Get their perspective

Have your employees step out of their daily routine and interact with your brand as a consumer. Have them identify their likes and dislikes about each step of the brand journey. Walking a mile in your customers’ shoes will help them see what makes an ordinary transaction extraordinary and help you pinpoint areas you need to improve.

6. Change their job for a day

Get your R&D team to dive into the digital support queues to see real-time product needs. Get your sales team to shadow the production line or development team for a day. Have the teams talk together about the best way to respond to customer needs.

7. Get feedback

Make sure you are the good employer you think you are. Put in place a bias-free system for employees to share any disconnects they have with company messaging. Be willing to change the way you do business or the way you promote your business if the two don’t match in your employees’ minds.