Have you ever seen a company that wants to look modern? Their language, their image, their social media… but when you get in touch with them, or want to complete a purchase, the process is extremely hard, because it’s completely outdated.

The banking industry is one of those examples of how to look ‘modern’ without actually being modern.

How is it possible you still need to go to a physical branch instead of doing it online? It’s not always a security issue — though regulatory requirements and some customer needs still play a role. As always, there are exceptions — Nubank is one of them. They don’t just communicate that they’re modern — their processes are modern too.

Brand audit is a tool that helps us, as marketers, align our value promise with what we’re actually giving the customer. It’s not just the surface-level work people love to write off as ‘just marketing’ — it also reinforces trust and helps retain our customers.

1. Double-check every contact point: not only social media, but also customer service, the purchase process, emails.
2. Reviews: constantly check what people are saying about your brand — don’t assume market share guarantees loyalty.
3. Benchmarking: always stay updated on markets, trends, and competitors.

This isn’t only about staying updated — that’s just one step. Always check whether you’re being coherent. But don’t worry — what will always help us find those short circuits is our customers, and that’s the importance of listening to them.