Beyond Intent: Structural Reasons Brands Sound Fake Even When They’re Not

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Performative versus purposeful has become the dominant way we talk about brand communication in Southeast Asia. It is a useful provocation, but it only tells part of the story.

Many communication failures don’t come from bad intent or cynical leadership. They emerge from misaligned systems, structural constraints, or uneven change. Brands can sound fake not because they are lying, but because their organisations aren’t set up to speak clearly.

This isn’t a defence of performative PR. It’s a clear-eyed look at why it happens, when it can still serve a function, and why moralising oversimplifies the challenge.

If you missed our first article in this series, Performative or Purposeful? Decoding Brand Communication in Southeast Asia, you can read it here: https://orchanpr.blogspot.com/2025/09/performative-or-purposeful-decoding.html

The False Binary

The performative–purposeful debate travels fast on LinkedIn. It signals values and sparks conversation. But in practice, it flattens reality.

Many brands operate in a grey zone shaped by regulation, legacy systems, investor pressure, and cultural complexity, as we’ve seen across Southeast Asia. Communication often runs ahead of operations; not because of deception, but because change is uneven.

Calling this gap “performative” might feel accurate. But it’s rarely the full picture.

When Performative Communication Still Works

Performative communication can serve a strategic function, though it comes with risks if not followed by substance.

  • Early-stage transformation: Signals align stakeholders and manage expectations while operations catch up.

  • Regulatory environments: Visibility buys time for operational changes to take effect.

  • Investor-facing narratives: Reassures markets during transitions that are underway but incomplete.

Here, performative acts are placeholders. The failure comes when they never evolve into real action.

When Backlash Doesn’t Always Hurt

Not all public criticism translates to commercial damage. For example, brands with strong switching friction or category dominance often weather viral moments without long-term impact.

Backlash should be monitored, but vulnerability needs context, not assumptions.

Virality signals attention, not consequence.

Unintentional Performativity Inside Organisations

Some “fake” communications are really system failures, not deliberate deception. The specifics vary by industry, market maturity, and region.

  • ESG initiatives managed by communications teams without operational authority

  • Regional teams constrained by global mandates

  • Legal filters that dilute language

  • KPIs rewarding announcements over delivery

Outside, it looks like hypocrisy. Inside, it’s a structural challenge. Recognising that difference matters.

Culture as Probability, Not Certainty

Culture isn’t a rulebook -- it’s a set of heuristics.

  • Sincerity, humility, or public façades shift probabilities rather than outcomes

  • Digital-native audiences remix norms constantly

  • Timing, messenger, and context shape interpretation

Treating culture deterministically creates false confidence. Seeing it probabilistically leads to better decisions.

Measuring Purpose Beyond Likes

Likes and shares are easy to see but weak signals.

Stronger measures include:

  • Employee advocacy trends over six months

  • Partner willingness to co-invest

  • Regulator posture across repeated cycles

  • Retention during operational stress

Purpose is shown in patterns, not isolated moments.

Why This Matters

Misdiagnosing performative PR as intent failure leads to the wrong fixes.

  • Intent-focused response: moral correction

  • Structure-focused response: organisational redesign

Brands that want to communicate with credibility in Southeast Asia must ask: Can we actually act on what we say? That’s what it means to orchestrate change i.e., aligning words, action, and impact to build durable trust.

Next in this series: We’ll move from diagnosis to design -- translating intent into systems, sequences, and proof. That’s where purposeful communication begins, and where Orchan Next comes into play.

For expert support in auditing communications, building culturally grounded strategies, or orchestrating change across your organisation, reach us at: changenow@orchan.asia / +603-7972 6377

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