The power of brands to shape behaviour and create societal impact

2 November 2026

Can brands influence not only what consumers buy, but also how they behave? This was the challenge taken up by Strategic Branding students at the School of Business, Monash University Malaysia, as part of an innovative learning experience that placed positive consumer behaviour change at the centre of brand development.

While branding is traditionally associated with building awareness, influencing preferences and driving sales, the initiative encouraged students to consider its wider potential: helping consumers adopt behaviours that benefit themselves, their communities and society.

Throughout the semester, students developed commercially viable brand concepts addressing five areas: health and wellbeing, sustainable consumption, responsible technology adoption, community and social connection, and financial and consumer empowerment.

Rather than simply creating products or promotional campaigns, students were challenged to understand why consumers resist positive changes, identify the psychological and practical barriers involved, and develop branding strategies that could help overcome them.

The projects also incorporated immersive technologies and contemporary branding tools, allowing students to explore how interactive experiences could make responsible choices more engaging, accessible and appealing.

Bringing real-world perspectives into the classroom

The learning experience culminated in a final brand pitch session on 23 October 2026, Joining the session as an industry guest judge was Davina Goh, President of the Vegan Society Malaysia, a plant-based lifestyle advocate whose work focuses on encouraging more conscious and sustainable consumption.

Drawing on her advocacy experience, Goh highlighted the challenges of encouraging positive behaviour change, particularly when consumer decisions are strongly influenced by family, friends and broader society.

"Encouraging people to adopt positive behaviours can be challenging because our choices are often shaped by the people around us. Family, friends and social expectations have a strong influence, and people naturally tend to follow familiar habits and popular trends," Goh shared.

She also highlighted the potential for branding to work with these social influences rather than against them.

"People often follow what they see others doing. If brands can make positive behaviours more visible, relatable and appealing, they can help create new trends where responsible choices gradually become part of everyday life."

Her perspectives encouraged students to consider how brands can influence not only individual attitudes but also the social environments in which consumption decisions are made.

The session included informal discussions, allowing students to explore the practical challenges of promoting responsible consumption and reflect on the difference between communicating a positive message and genuinely influencing consumer behaviour.

Developing responsible brand managers of the future

The initiative was led by Dr Omkar Dastane, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the School of Business, Monash University Malaysia, who designed the assessment to connect strategic branding with consumer behaviour, emerging technologies and societal impact.

"Brands have considerable influence over consumer choices, but we often examine that influence mainly in terms of commercial outcomes. I wanted students to think about how the same branding principles could encourage behaviours that create positive value for consumers and society," said Dr Dastane.

"Changing consumer behaviour is not easy. People may recognise the benefits of a healthier or more sustainable choice but still hesitate to adopt it. The challenge for students was to understand those barriers and explore how branding could make positive behaviours more desirable and achievable, while remaining commercially viable."

The assessment also reflected a broader approach to authentic and immersive learning, with students taking on the roles of brand strategists and consultants, developing their ideas progressively and presenting their recommendations for external feedback.

For Dr Dastane, the wider educational objective extends beyond the classroom.

"These students are our future brand managers and marketing professionals. If we can encourage them to consider societal impact alongside commercial performance when making branding decisions, we are helping develop a more responsible approach to marketing practice."

Branding as a force for positive change

The projects highlighted an important question for contemporary marketing: can businesses create commercial value while encouraging more responsible consumer behaviours?

By combining consumer insights, brand strategy, immersive technology and industry engagement, the initiative offered students an opportunity to explore this question through practical application.

More importantly, it encouraged them to recognise that branding decisions can have consequences beyond sales and market share, influencing consumer habits, lifestyles and broader societal outcomes.

The experience reinforces the potential of business education to prepare graduates who are not only commercially capable but also conscious of the wider impact of their professional decisions.

Ultimately, the message was simple: successful brands can influence what people choose, but responsible brands can also help shape how people live.