The Brand Move Apple, Duolingo, and Lego Refuse to Make

There’s always a new rule businesses are told to follow: Be on this platform. Sound like this brand. Move faster. Refresh everything.

Ignore the rule, and you risk looking outdated. Follow it too closely, and you risk losing your core brand. 

Most companies don’t get the choice. They react. They adjust. They chase viral topics. Over time, the brand starts to feel scattered. 

A handful of companies, however, seem strangely unaffected by the noise.

Apple, Duolingo and Lego operate in different industries, serve different audiences and use different tools. Yet they share a pattern in how they grow, make decisions and respond to pressure.

The Hidden Cost of Trend Chasing

Trend-driven marketing looks smart in the short term because it signals relevance, buys attention and spikes engagement, but it creates fragmentation.

According to a 2023 report from Deloitte, companies that constantly shift brand strategy struggle more with customer trust and internal alignment than those with a clearly defined long-term vision. “When everything is urgent, nothing is strategic,” branding expert Marty Neumeier has said.

Apple, Duolingo and Lego have taken that idea seriously.

Apple: Innovation Without Identity Drift

Apple is often seen as a trendsetter, but internally, the company operates with extreme discipline.

In an interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is “not interested in being first” but in being “the best.” That mindset explains why Apple ignores short-lived tech fads while refining a tight ecosystem of products.

Despite entering new categories like wearables and services, Apple’s core brand promise hasn’t changed: intuitive design, privacy-forward technology and seamless user experience.

💡Innovation doesn’t require reinvention; it requires restraint.

Duolingo: A Personality With Purpose

Duolingo’s owl is one of the most recognizable brand mascots on social media. 

CEO Luis von Ahn explained in an interview that Duolingo’s marketing works because it aligns with the product’s mission—making education accessible and engaging.

Duolingo surpassed 83 million monthly active users in 2024, with revenue up 44% year over year, according to its shareholder report.

💡A strong brand voice works when it supports a clear value proposition.

Lego: Less Is More

Lego is one of the most studied turnaround stories in modern business. After near-bankruptcy in the early 2000s, the company rebuilt by narrowing its focus.

According to a 2020 Harvard Business School case study, former CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp shared that the company stopped asking, “What else can we make?” and started asking, “What do children actually need from us?”

That shift led to fewer product lines, stronger storytelling and deeper customer loyalty.

The strategy worked and Lego reported over $9 billion in sales in 2023 and “record revenue and operating profit” in 2024.

💡Growth accelerates when strategy is simplified.

The Competitive Advantage

These brands share three habits leaders can apply right away:

1. Protect brand consistency

Strong brands don’t reinvent their message every quarter. They evolve within clear boundaries.

2. Put customers first, not algorithms

Platform trends change. Customer needs don’t. These companies optimize for trust, not attention spikes.

3. Lead with long-term thinking

Short-term wins are evaluated through a long-term lens. If a trend doesn’t serve the mission, it’s ignored. As marketing scholar Byron Sharp has noted, consistency is one of the strongest drivers of brand growth.

The smartest move leaders can make is deciding what not to chase. 

Apple, Duolingo and Lego show that when a brand is clear on who it serves and why it exists, growth naturally follows.

Featured image by Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.com