The turkey may not be thankful to be on your table this year—but your team, your clients, and your company could have plenty to be grateful for.
As the season of thankfulness approaches, it’s a good time to rethink what gratitude looks like inside your brand.
At Epiphany, we often talk about clarity and consistency in branding—your visuals, your messaging, your tone. But there’s another layer we can’t hide anymore. It’s the one that transforms not just how your brand looks, but how it feels: the consistent practice of appreciation. Because in business, success isn’t defined solely by what you deliver—it’s defined by how you make people feel.
Gratitude Isn’t Fluff—It’s Strategy
Research shows that gratitude is more than a “feel-good” gesture.
- Employees who believe their work will be recognized are 12x more likely to say they have a great company culture (BI WORLDWIDE).
- 79% of employees feel more loyal when appreciation is expressed in simple, meaningful ways, like a handwritten note or small recognition (Snappy Workforce Study).
- Companies that build gratitude into their culture see higher engagement, innovation, and retention (Motivosity).
Gratitude isn’t fluff—it’s strategy.
Brands That Lead with Gratitude
You don’t have to look far to see how some of the most admired brands have built appreciation into their DNA:
Starbucks calls its employees partners, reinforcing a culture of shared ownership and respect that fuels one of the most recognized service cultures in the world.
Zappos empowers its team to surprise customers with handwritten notes and thoughtful gestures—gratitude is part of every interaction.
Patagonia’s appreciation extends beyond people to the planet itself, creating a values-based culture that inspires fierce loyalty.
Southwest Airlines has long built its “LUV” culture around celebrating both employees and passengers with small, genuine acts of thanks—earning some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry.
These brands prove that gratitude creates emotional equity—the kind of connection that keeps clients coming back and teams inspired to give their best.
Small Gestures, Big Shifts
It doesn’t take a billion-dollar budget to build gratitude into your brand.
Small, intentional actions can change everything:
- Send a quick text thanking a team member for something specific.
- Buy a coworker a coffee “just because.”
- Call a client simply to say you appreciate their trust.
Gratitude is most powerful when it’s personal.
Gratitude Starts with You
Leaders can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking a moment each week to reflect on your own wins—what you’re grateful for in your business, your team, or your growth—builds a sense of grounded optimism that others can feel.
Gratitude toward yourself fuels gratitude toward others.
The Ripple Effect
When you make appreciation part of your rhythm, the ripple effect is real:
- Teams that feel seen and valued collaborate more and stay longer.
- Clients who feel appreciated trust you more deeply and talk about you more often.
- Over time, gratitude becomes one of the strongest differentiators in your brand—it humanizes you.
Because while products, services, and strategies may evolve, the feeling of being valued never goes out of style.
A Simple Challenge
Once a week, make gratitude visible.
Send a message, make a call, or buy a coffee for someone who’s made a difference in your work.
Tell them specifically what you appreciate and why it matters.
It’s a small act—but it’s how great brands and great cultures are built.
Life and business are both about how you make people feel. When gratitude becomes part of your brand, it doesn’t just change your company—it changes your culture.
And that might be the most powerful strategy of all.