Have you ever looked back at a branding decision and wondered, what was I thinking?
Perhaps you chose a particular image, wrote a piece of marketing copy, or picked a colour palette that felt right at the time, only to realise later it wasn’t connecting with the people you actually wanted to reach.
The truth is, our branding decisions aren’t always as objective as we’d like to believe. They’re influenced by our experiences, beliefs and assumptions, many of which we are not even aware of. This is unconscious bias.
While the word bias can sound negative, unconscious bias is simply part of being human. Our brains are constantly processing information and making shortcuts to help us navigate the world. The challenge is that these shortcuts can sometimes shape our decisions in ways we never intended.
What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias refers to the automatic assumptions or preferences we make without realising it. These biases develop over time through our upbringing, culture, education, and personal experiences.
They’re not necessarily right or wrong, and they don’t mean we’re intentionally excluding anyone. They’re simply the mental shortcuts our brains use to make sense of the world.
In branding, unconscious bias shows up everywhere — in the colours and images we choose, the language we use, even the audience we picture ourselves speaking to. We often make these decisions instinctively, believing they’ll resonate with our ideal customer. We rarely stop to question the assumptions behind them.
Let’s consider an example. If you’ve always pictured your ideal customer as a woman in her thirties, it’s natural that your branding might begin to reflect that image. But what if your products or services also appeal to men, older customers, or people from different backgrounds? Without realising it, your brand could be telling them that they’re not part of the conversation.
Where does unconscious bias show up in branding?
Unconscious bias can appear in almost every part of a brand, often in subtle ways.
Visual identity
The images, colours, and design choices you make all tell a story about your business. Think about the people featured in your photography or illustrations. Do they reflect the diversity of your actual customers? Or do they represent only one type of person?
Brand messaging
The words you use matter just as much as your visuals. Your tone of voice, your examples, and even the way you describe your customers can reveal assumptions about who you’re speaking to. Sometimes we write for the audience we imagine rather than the audience we actually have.
Customer experience
Bias can also influence the experience you create. Is your website easy for everyone to use? Is your content clear and accessible? Do your products or services consider different needs and preferences? Even small decisions can have a big impact on how welcome people feel.
The important thing to remember is that unconscious bias is rarely obvious. That’s exactly why it’s called unconscious. It isn’t about pointing fingers or criticising past decisions. It’s about recognising that we all have blind spots and be willing to look at our brands with fresh eyes.
The more aware we become of these hidden influences, the more intentional our branding can be. And that’s often the first step towards creating a brand that feels authentic, inclusive and genuinely connected to the people we want to serve.