Our Roundup: Highlights how leading brands are moving beyond campaigns to build ideas rooted in real culture, shared truth, and experiences that make authenticity visible and not just spoken.

This Week’s Report
—> Ride or Fade
—> Takeaways
—> Tell Us
—> This Week’s Standouts
—> Top Voices

Harley-Davidson just hit the "reset" button, and they’re doing it by going back to their roots.

Recently, Harley-Davidson launched RIDE, a global brand platform that strips away the corporate polish to focus on the one thing that has kept them alive since 1903: the feeling of life on two wheels.

At a time when legacy brands often struggle to stay relevant, Harley is doubling down on heritage to move forward.

Why this works:

→ The Return of the Icon:

By bringing back the historic "Bar and Shield" logo, Harley isn't just being nostalgic. They are reclaiming their visual authority. It’s a signal that they know exactly who they are in a world of "standard" design.

→ Authenticity Over Actors:

The launch film doesn't feature models on a closed set. It uses raw, authentic footage of real riders set to Willie Nelson’s "On the Road Again." It’s a "human truth" play—celebrating the community that built the brand rather than the machine itself.

→ Strategic Simplicity:

CEO Artie Starrs is calling this a "full reset." By centering the entire brand under one word—RIDE—they are cutting through the noise. It’s an action, not an ad.

The "So What?"

Harley-Davidson understands that they don't just have customers; they have a community. In an era of rapid industry evolution, they aren't trying to out-tech the competition—they are out-feeling them.

Authenticity is about honoring the past without being stuck in it. RIDE proves that the open road is still the ultimate "Freedom for the Soul."

1. Own Your Symbol
Consistency builds trust—your core visuals should feel unmistakable, not interchangeable.

2. Real People > Perfect Production
Unfiltered, human moments create stronger emotional connection than scripted perfection ever will.

3. Simplify to Amplify
Clarity wins—distill your message down to something people can instantly understand and act on.

4. Build a Community, Not Just Customers
Loyalty grows when people see themselves in what you stand for—not just in what you sell.

This week’s real-time signals on how brands are actually showing up.

• Los Angeles Rams bring nostalgia to life by embedding themselves in real communities and culture — showing that authenticity comes from showing up, not just referencing moments like “Friday.”

• Milo's Tea Company celebrates its 80th anniversary by turning the spotlight on the superfans who made it part of their lives, proving that lasting brands grow by honoring the people behind their story.

• KitKat turns its decades-old “take a break” idea into a real-world experience —proving that the strongest brands don’t change their message, they find new ways to make people feel it.

• Prego created a simple dinner-table device that captures family conversations and preserves them, showing that real brand authenticity comes from building something that deepens the human moments around the product, not just the product itself.

• Heinz turned a 157-year-old brand marker into a living tradition at the NFL Draft by honoring the 57th pick with a new “Mr. 57” moment, showing how the strongest brand ideas come from uncovering meaning already embedded in their own history and bringing it to life in culture.

• Škoda Auto just launched a new electric car using Play-Doh. Not as a gimmick. As the central design language of the entire campaign.

What Brands Are Authentic? It is time once again to choose which brands you feel are authentic. Please tell us via our survey (it takes less than 5 minutes to fill out).

The results of your decisions will be part of our annual Authenticity 500 Index rankings, which you will receive for free.

🚨 Where Brands Get Real (Or Don’t)

🎯 Authenticity In Action

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