Or: How to Keep Trust Alive
And we’re back! In last week’s newsletter, I outlined how to pass the branding Turing Test, i.e. maintaining the human touch of authenticity, transparency, and yes, positivity, as we learn to coexist with A.I. Today, I want to talk about another foundation of the “Positronic” approach, which I’ve dubbed “The
Three Laws of a Positronic Brand.”
Isaac Asimov famously posited the “Three Laws of Robotics” in his I, Robot series. They are: 1) a robot must obey a human; 2) a robot must not harm a human; and 3) a robot must not, by inaction, allow a human to come to harm. Translated into branding terms: what if your brand lived by three laws to keep trust alive? Because let’s face it: your logo won’t save you if your ethics can’t.
Trust, authenticity, consistency, and transparency will always be indispensable, and that’s why the Three Laws of a Positronics Brand are, too.
Law 1: Protect the Customer.
This means always looking out for the best interests of your client, and making sure their needs come first. One way to do this is through clear communication, and offering behind-the-scenes glimpses of how your brand operates. In a world ruled by algorithms and corporate cynicism, people are craving honesty, uplift, and authenticity more than ever (88% of customers say authenticity is key in deciding what brands they like and support:
Clients want brands that genuinely see them as people, more than just a data point. In today’s world, we need that more than ever.
This brings us to the second law of a Positronics brand, which is just as important, if not even more so:
Law 2: Protect Brand Integrity.
This law demands getting introspective, going beyond superficialities, and asking yourself whether your brand’s actions are truly consistent with its stated core values, promises, and identity. If you’re serious about building trust and loyalty with your clients, the answer needs to be a resounding “yes”.
Protecting the integrity of your brand is about more than just technicalities like registering trademarks and enforcing guidelines (although obviously don’t avoid that). It means recognizing that, as with any relationship, the trust of your clients is something that needs to be earned and maintained by showing that you deliver on your promises and uphold your core beliefs, rather than chasing trends and fads.
At the same time, clients do want to see that you’re flexible and responsive to change. They want to see that your brand guidelines are consistent, and that you’re honest about admitting mistakes. These are truths that never change, and sticking to them is essential if you want your brand to succeed.
Now we’re at the finish line: the third law of building a Positronic brand. Out of the three, I believe this one really encapsulates everything meaningful and important about the Positronics approach:
Law 3: Never Harm Humanity…even in the pursuit of profit.
There are a lot of layers to this, so let’s unpack.
“Never Harm Humanity” is about preserving your brand’s humanity and authenticity, but there’s much more to it than that. On a deeper level, it means working conscientiously to develop a brand that embraces all of the fundamental qualities that are so desperately needed in today’s world.
It means engaging from a place of empathy, uplift, and open-mindedness, building a brand that celebrates our shared humanity, and all of the qualities that bring us together, rather than those that divide.
It also means combining that approach with logic and a strong ethical backbone.
Consistently following that path is what ultimately distinguishes “just another brand” from one that not only avoids doing harm, but that can truly be a force for good.
With so much strife in the world, what’s the harm in trying something new?
If you’d like to delve deeper into the theme of AI, ethics, and branding, join us at 1pm ET on September 25, 2025, for Actual Intelligence: A.I. That Won’t Kill Your Brand.
And of course I’m always happy to chat about working with you 1-1 or in my Authority Lab mastermind.
