The Future of Heritage Brands: Embracing GenAI for Authentic Digital Connections
Heritage brands have built incredible brand equity and customer loyalty over decades, if not centuries. These brands are more than just products; they represent values, history and a deep emotional connection with their customers. A customer’s affiliation with a heritage brand is often a reflection of their identity — wearing a certain brand, shopping at a particular store, or using a specific product says something about who they are and what they stand for. This loyalty and nostalgia set heritage brands apart. However, in an increasingly digital world, maintaining this connection is both a challenge and an opportunity.
Traditionally, the personal touch of heritage brands was nurtured in brick-and-mortar stores, where sales associates could interact with customers face-to-face, providing tailored recommendations and fostering brand affinity. However, as digital engagement becomes the primary means of interaction, the challenge for heritage brands is replicating this personal touch in online experiences. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) presents a transformative opportunity to elevate digital customer engagement.
With GenAI and large language models (LLMs), brands can create hyperpersonalized experiences, engaging in conversational interactions that feel as meaningful as in-store discussions. These technologies allow brands to understand customer intent, provide relevant product recommendations, and craft a digital experience that mirrors the high-touch and personalized service customers have come to expect.
Yet, while leveraging AI-driven personalization, it's crucial for brands to remain authentic. AI-powered interactions must align with the brand’s core identity and voice, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints. For example, Nike’s tone is energetic, motivational and aspirational, reinforcing its identity as a brand for athletes and those who push their limits — oftentimes in the voice of a coach talking to an athlete. Patagonia, on the other hand, speaks with an environmentally-conscious, activist tone, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. Stio, an outdoor brand, embraces a community-driven and adventure-oriented tone, appealing to consumers who seek both performance and lifestyle alignment. Each of these brands must ensure that AI-driven customer interactions reflect their unique voice, rather than sounding generic or robotic.
The imperative for heritage brands is clear: they must embrace the groundbreaking potential of GenAI while staying true to their brand’s essence. Personalization is no longer a luxury; it’s an expectation. Brands must be better at understanding their customers and their true intent by understanding their shopping behavior. Through AI-driven engagement, brands can offer seamless, relevant and deeply connected experiences. However, the most successful implementations will be those that strike the right balance between technological innovation to enhance the experience and brand authenticity. By doing so, heritage brands can continue to strengthen customer relationships, foster loyalty, and remain as relevant in the digital era as they have been for generations.
John Andrews is the CEO of Cimulate, a generative AI company assisting commerce companies to better understand customer behavior and optimize the customer journey.
John Andrews, CEO, Cimulate
John has spent his career helping retail, distribution, and manufacturing organizations define, execute, and optimize their digital omni-channel and supply chain strategies and operations. John is the CEO of Cimulate, a generative-AI company assisting commerce companies better understand customer behavior and optimize the customer journey. Prior to Cimulate, John served as the VP of Product Management in the Demand & Supply Management organization at Nike, focused on driving innovation and transformation as Nike becomes a more digitally powered enterprise. John joined Nike via the acquisition of Celect, where he served as CEO, the leading Inventory Optimization solution for retailers and brands. Prior to joining the team at Celect, John was VP of Marketing and Product Management at Endeca, acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2012. Upon acquisition by Oracle, John was responsible for the Oracle Commerce omni-channel platform. Prior to Endeca, John was a manager within Deloitte Consulting’s Strategy & Operations practice where he led corporate strategy and supply chain projects. John holds a BA in Economics and Computer Science from Boston College and received his master’s degree from the Harvard Business School.
