@EmilyCowan 

In essence, a brand is a promise -- inextricably linked to the product(s)/service(s) it represents. In this day and age where information is at everyone's fingertips, consumers and customers seeking the truth on a brand's ability to keep its promises can verify it with a few clicks.

And so as consumer behaviors evolve with the power to easily access information before making decisions, they actively look for and demand verifiable authenticity, consistency, and virtue from brands. It's not that they're unforgiving or intolerant of anything less than perfection -- in fact, when brands have problems and demonstrably acknowledge and resolve them in a timely manner, they at times actually earn MORE loyalty than those who may not even experience those problems in the first place; but as we all are entitled to the truth and have the ability to get to it, prospects and customers are more likely to reward and be loyal to those brands that exhibit authenticity by consistently keeping their promises.

Conversely, consumers also have the power to share out disappointments and let-downs when brands don't meet their promises. That information is often shared out and accessible to others, including strangers, and may be deemed as valid information for consideration by a customer or prospect looking to assess a brand.

We all work too hard to have the wool pulled over our eyes -- authenticity is transparent and verifiable, and as such, a key component of brand success.

It's important. A brand may be authentic, or not. There's nothing in between.