When people hear the word "brand", flashy advertisements or effective marketing strategies often come to mind. While these help spread awareness, they don’t truly create a brand.

A genuine brand isn’t something built through publicity stunts or image manipulation; it’s built on long-term foundational trust and proven results. Just because a product or service sells once, it doesn’t mean customers will immediately recognize it as a brand. No matter how impressive the advertising is, if the product or service fails to meet expectations, all that remains in the customer’s mind isn’t a brand, but, instead, disappointment.

A recent incident highlights this point. News reports revealed that some luxury products from high-end Italian and French brands were actually manufactured in China, which caused widespread repercussions among consumers. Even Hermès faced scrutiny over the origin of some of its products, raising concerns about the brand’s integrity.

This isn’t simply a matter of where it’s made. Brands draw many customers in because of the tradition, craftsmanship, and regional value they represent. That sense of authenticity creates trust, which lies at the heart of brand value. When there’s a disconnect between what a brand claims and what it delivers, brands can quickly lose the value they’ve built over time.

Of course, in today’s globalized economy, it’s not unusual to outsource parts of the production internationally. But the key question lies in how transparent a brand is in communicating that reality, how it explains why, and how it maintains its customers’ trust. That’s where a brand puts its true value to the test.

Through this incident, I’ll be watching closely to see how these brands ensure transparency and work to regain consumer trust.

In the end, a brand isn’t about how it looks, but how it truly is. Whether or not a brand can return to that core principle will ultimately determine its lasting value.