“The communication behind communication”

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of communication really is?

How do we distinguish good communication from effective communication, and how do we measure its success?

For many years, communication followed a linear model. A message was crafted, disseminated across various media, and communicated to specific target audiences.

The idea was simple. It served a purpose and addressed a specific need.

In recent years, communication has taken on a three-dimensional role. It is not simply a creative interpretation of a strategic plan, nor is it a clever articulation of a business vision.

Today, communication conveys much more than just a message.

Or rather, let’s put it another way.

Today, communication does much more than simply convey a message.

In today’s article, we’ll analyze five levels of modern communication and the shifts we’re seeing.

Positioning	How we used to see it What sets us apart	What it means today What we stand for
Branding	How we want to be recognized	What ideas do we want people to associate with us?
Community	How many people follow us	How they engage
Connection	How do we engage with our audience?	What kind of relationship we build with them
Technology	How we convey a message	What role do we play in creating experiences and interactions

Let’s start from the beginning.

1. Positioning

Communication today must connect with “the world” surrounding a brand and succeed in building a story that speaks to everything the brand stands for, not just what it is.

Let’s take the example of Patagonia, an American outdoor apparel and equipment company. Patagonia didn’t limit itself to promoting the quality of its products. It built its identity around environmental protection, linking its name to a purpose that goes beyond selling clothing. In 2022, it went even further, changing its ownership structure so that profits not reinvested in the business would be allocated to protecting the planet. Thus, its environmental commitment did not remain merely a marketing message. It became part of its very business identity.

• Branding

Today, branding isn’t just about how a brand wants us to recognize it, but also about the ideas we associate with it. A brand’s image gains greater value when consumers find something in it that speaks to them.

Let’s take the example of Dove, the well-known personal care company. In 2004, through its Real Beauty campaign, the company challenged established beauty standards by choosing to feature real women of different ages and body types, instead of the usual advertising models. With this approach, Dove didn’t just focus on convincing women to buy its products. It created an identity with which they could identify, allowing them to see themselves in a different conception of beauty. Twenty years later, in 2024, Dove extended this commitment to artificial intelligence, announcing that it would not use AI to replace real women in its advertisements. Dove is a prime example of how a brand can build its relationship with the public around shared beliefs and values, beyond the features of its products.

3. Communities

The need to belong finds new expression through the interests and activities we share. Brands need to understand these changes in consumers’ daily lives and create opportunities for their audience to actively participate.

Let’s look at what’s happening in sports. Fitness has evolved into a lifestyle, influencing consumers’ habits, social lives, and choices. According to McKinsey’s Sporting Goods 2025 report, 51% of active consumers who participated in the survey view fitness as a lifestyle rather than just a hobby. Among Gen Z and millennials, that figure rises to 59%.

Strava, the well-known platform for tracking athletic activities, has capitalized on this shift by placing greater emphasis on the communities that form around sports.

In 2025, the number of new clubs created on the platform nearly quadrupled, with the total number exceeding one million. In July 2026, Strava added new features that allow users to discover local workouts, group activities, and races.

Strava recognizes that consumers are looking for more than just tracking a athletic performance. They want to share their efforts, meet others with common interests, and be part of a group.

Communication thus plays a more active role in community building. It’s not enough to simply gather an audience around a brand; it’s necessary to create reasons for that audience to want to participate.

4. Connection

A brand can be constantly in the consumer’s sight, but that doesn’t mean it has formed a genuine relationship with them. The difference becomes apparent when the brand understands what matters to the consumer and takes it into account in its decisions—even when that means rethinking the product itself.

Let’s take the example of AXA, the international insurance group, which in 2025 made an unusual change to its home insurance policies in France.

The company recognized that the risk to a policyholder does not always stem from a fire, a flood, or a natural disaster. It may lie within the home itself.

Thus, in April 2025, it added coverage for cases of domestic violence to its policies, offering emergency temporary housing and access to legal, psychological, and financial support.

The initiative was promoted through the Three Words campaign by Publicis Conseil, which won three Grand Prix awards at the Cannes Lions in 2025 and the Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness in 2026.

What’s interesting about AXA’s case is that it redefined what “protection” can mean for a policyholder. The campaign highlighted a change that had already taken place in the product itself, giving the brand’s promise a different, much more personal dimension.

Here, the relationship with the consumer takes on real meaning. Trust is based not only on what a brand promises, but also on its ability to respond to needs that truly matter.

5. Technology

Technology is now changing the very way consumers seek information, evaluate options, and decide what to buy. Communication must adapt to this new reality, where interaction takes on greater importance than simply conveying a message.

With artificial intelligence, the search for a product can begin with a simple question. The consumer explains what they need, and the tool suggests options, rather than the consumer having to search for each product individually.

Walmart, one of the world’s largest retail chains, is an interesting example.

Through Sparky, the AI shopping assistant it introduced in 2025 and made available to all its customers in Canada in October 2026, the company offers a different way to search for and select products.

A consumer can, for example, ask for help organizing a family dinner within a specific budget or finding the right gift. Sparky can suggest products, compare options, summarize reviews, and create a shopping list based on the customer’s needs.

Here, Walmart integrates communication into the shopping process itself. The consumer doesn’t just see the products the brand wants to promote. They can interact with a tool that helps them find what they need.

This development places new demands on brands. The quality of information, the reliability of recommendations, and the usefulness of the experience take on greater importance.

Communication is now expected to function as part of the service a brand offers—helping consumers choose, decide, and interact in a way that meets their own needs.

Ultimately, what does communication convey?

A clever idea, a powerful campaign, or a message that manages to grab attention still has value. It’s just that today, they don’t tell us the whole story.

The examples we’ve seen demonstrate just how much the role of communication has expanded. From understanding changes in society and consumer behavior to shaping a brand’s identity, the relationships it builds, and the experience it offers.

This also requires a different approach from the companies themselves. Communication needs to play a role in shaping their strategy, be part of their decision-making process, and be able to influence how they respond to new market demands.

Perhaps this is where the biggest difference lies between good and effective communication.

The former may capture attention. The latter can influence the way we think, make choices, and ultimately connect with a brand. Its success, however, is judged by the extent to which this influence serves the brand’s goals and translates into measurable results.