Why insight, not identity, builds stronger energy brands

By Jamee Kirkpatrick, Senior Account Director, Aspectus Group

In a highly competitive energy sector, brand needs to be more than visuals. This blog argues that building from insight – audience, competitor, internal truth – lays the foundation. When identity is rooted in real evidence, the brand gains credibility, relevance and impact. Before design, ask the right questions to create a brand that works.   

Why insight, not identity, builds stronger energy brands 

Energy is a complex and competitive industry. In a market defined by transformation, regulation and scrutiny, brand becomes a powerful shorthand – a way to communicate who you are and why you matter, fast. It’s tempting, then, to define “brand” by what’s most visible: a logo refresh, a new strapline and a shiny website. But while visual identity plays a vital role in helping you stand out, it’s only effective when it’s built on understanding.  

Resist the temptation to dive straight into design. The brands that make a lasting impression are those that do the groundwork first – uncovering how they’re perceived, where they can lead, and where it’s worth making a splash. 

That’s why the insight phase of brand work should never be viewed as optional. It’s the difference between another round of nice words and visuals, and a brand that actually shifts perception and drives meaningful impact. And beyond marketing, those same insights give boards, C-suites, sales teams and recruiters a clearer view of the market they operate in – helping them plan and act with confidence.     

The energy challenge: everyone’s saying the same thing    

The energy transition has given every company a story to tell. The problem is, most of those stories sound the same. “Driving decarbonization.” “Enabling the transition.” “Accelerating change.” 

Without evidence, brand work risks becoming a chorus of identical claims. Everyone knows the importance of differentiation – but few know where or how to achieve it without real research. Insight is what reveals those opportunities. When rooted in audience understanding, competitor context and internal truth, brands move beyond imitation to genuine distinction. 

Evidence reveals where you can credibly lead, not just where you want to. It gives your positioning the authority to hold up under scrutiny. It’s how you connect what you stand for with what your market actually values. And when that evidence is shared across the business, it becomes a commercial asset – guiding everything from business planning and partnership strategy to how sales teams frame value and how talent teams tell your story to future employees. 

At Aspectus, we’ve seen the difference that makes. When a brand articulates its purpose through evidence – not assumption – everything from its messaging to its marketing performs better. Because it stops trying to sound right and starts being right.   

Turning evidence into brand advantage      

Sometimes it’s big, like taking never-seen-before data and creating an industry-leading report, and sometimes it’s small, like a fun headline tied to a pop culture moment. For example:      

Evidence is what grounds brands into reality. It turns assumptions into understanding, and creativity into strategy. In our work with energy brands, we’ve seen how insight can change the course of a narrative – shifting focus from “what we do” to “why it matters.”    

Customer insights gathered in interviews often expose the gap between what organizations believe and what audiences actually care about. That clarity changes everything – helping brands focus their storytelling on what truly resonates: reliability, transparency, safety or innovation that has real-world impact.  

Looking outward, competitor analysis brings perspective. It highlights the sameness that saturates the sector and pinpoints where language, ideas and proof points have lost meaning. Equally, it shows where others have already taken a distinctive stance – helping you identify where not to follow and where genuine whitespace remains. 

In a market where so many are saying the same things about transition and decarbonization, for example, evidence is what gives you permission to lead where others echo. And, for boards and executive teams, this intelligence isn’t just communications insight – it’s strategic context. It helps shape where to invest, how to diversify and how to build a story that supports long-term growth. 

And inside the business, the richest insights often come from your own people. Employees can be the most authentic expression of brand purpose when their everyday actions already reflect what the company claims to stand for. Recognizing and amplifying that alignment builds internal pride and external credibility in equal measure. It also gives HR and recruitment teams a more powerful story to tell – one that attracts talent who believe in the mission, not just the job description. 

Together, these insights create brands that are focused, confident and cohesive. They ensure every channel – from investor decks and communications activity to digital campaigns and event collateral – beats with the same pulse.  

That’s the difference between a brand that looks good, and a brand that works. Because in energy – where decisions are complex and trust is currency – evidence shouldn’t be a supporting act.  

What makes insight a powerful part of brand, insights and business strategy   

That’s what makes insight so powerful. It doesn’t just describe audiences or map competitors; it challenges assumptions. It exposes what really drives decisions, where credibility is won or lost and how your purpose is interpreted inside and outside the business.       

In energy, that kind of clarity is invaluable. The transition story has become a global chorus – every company is singing about progress, but only a few strike a note that truly resonates. Insight is what helps your brand find its solo – distinct, authentic and impossible to ignore. 

Because the energy transition isn’t just about technology, skills and investment – it’s about trust. A brand grounded in evidence, built on truth and expressed with creativity will always resonate more deeply than one built on assumption. 

So, before you start sketching your new identity or planning for the new year ahead, start by asking better questions – about your customers, your competitors, your people, your proof.  

Or better yet, bring in the experts to help you do it. At Aspectus, we’ve built the brands of your peers, your partners and your competitors – helping them uncover what truly sets them apart and communicate it with confidence. We know what it takes to turn evidence into advantage and insight into lasting impact.  

Because in energy, you don’t just need to look different. You need to be different – and the right insight makes that possible.    

     

---

Key takeaways 

Why should energy brands start with insight rather than identity?

Because insight reveals how you’re perceived, where you can lead credibly and what your market genuinely values – so identity becomes meaningful not just pretty. 

What kinds of insights matter most? 

Audience understanding (what they care about), competitor context (where others are saying the same things), internal truth (how your people live the purpose) – all triangulated into evidence.

How does insight drive brand across the business? 

It gives boards strategic context, helps sales frame value, supports recruitment storytelling, ensures every channel aligns – so the brand becomes operational not just aesthetic.

---

About the author 

Jamee is a senior account director in our energy team. She supports her clients with integrated strategies that blend media relations, digital marketing and content development. She helps companies of all sizes achieve coverage and growth at a global level – thanks to her strategic, integrated, multi-channel approach. Jamee has worked with a diverse portfolio of clients, from start-ups to global players, to elevate their voices and strategically position them within their desired marketplace.