I took these two photos of the same landscape. Same place. Same time. Same view. Same reality.

One was taken on a beautiful morning with blue skies and sunshine. The other, at the same time of day, was covered in fog.

I liked them because they remind me that circumstances don't always change, but our perspective often does.

Recently, I read a LinkedIn post from someone reflecting on a personal family experience in hospital. She described looking around the room and noticing names she had known professionally for years, including Intertek. In that moment, those names were no longer logos, companies or brands. They were part of something much more personal.

It resonated with me because it reminded me of my own experience a few years ago. During a period when I was spending more time than expected with healthcare professionals and medical technology, I remember noticing the ETL Mark on equipment around me. As someone who had spent years working with the Intertek brand, I suddenly saw it from a completely different perspective.

What had always been a symbol of quality and safety became something much more human. It represented confidence, reassurance, trust.

That experience taught me something I have never forgotten. The strongest brands are not simply recognised; they are felt, they are there when people are launching a business, navigating complex supply chains, bringing innovations to market, or facing important moments in their lives. They provide trust when trust matters most.

As marketers, we often talk about purpose, reputation and brand value. But sometimes the true impact of a brand is revealed far away from marketing campaigns, presentations and corporate messaging. It happens when a brand becomes part of someone's real-life experience.

That is why I feel privileged to work for an organisation whose purpose is bringing quality, safety and sustainability to life. Because ultimately, we are not bringing them to products, processes or industries.

We are bringing them to people.