A few months ago, I went out for dinner with a group of friends.

Nobody felt strongly about where to go.

“It just needs to be decent.”

“Somewhere easy.”

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So, we picked a new place that sat neatly in the middle. Safe menu. Good enough vibe. Solid reviews.

The meal was… fine and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Hurrah! No complaints.

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Last week, one of us suggested going back to “that place”.

There was a pause. When we finally remembered what it was actually called, the consensus was:

“Nah.”

It wasn’t because anyone disliked it, but rather no one felt excited by it either.

No strong memory. No clear reason to choose it again.

We played it safe.

And that was the problem.

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Why opinions are uncomfortable (and powerful)

Having a clear opinion does two things at once.

1. It attracts some people.

2. It quietly repels others.

Psychologists call this in-group/ out-group bias. We’re drawn to people who signal “they’re like us” and instinctively distance ourselves from those who aren’t.

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That sounds risky, especially for financial businesses.

But here’s the thing. When you try to appeal to everyone, you end up belonging to no one.

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So many companies that I speak to tend to divert back to neutral language because they want to feel inclusive.

But doing so only makes it feel interchangeable with everyone else.

We have to remember that opinions aren’t just views. They’re signals.

They tell your audience:

• what you value
• what you prioritise
• and what kind of decisions you’ll stand behind

That’s why brands with a clear stance often feel easier to trust. You know where you stand.

Edelman’s Trust Barometer for 2025 found that 73% of people say their trust in a brand would increase if it authentically reflected today’s culture, highlighting that relevance and stance aren’t optional anymore – they shape credibility.

So, putting it in perspective, this is about:

How you frame risk.

How you talk about growth.

What you think matters most when trade-offs appear.

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Why finance plays it safe (and pays for it)

Finance has good reasons to be cautious.

Regulation. Reputation. Career risk.

So, messaging gets sanded down until it’s technically accurate but emotionally flat. Everyone uses similar language. Everyone emphasises balance. Everyone avoids sharp edges.

In the end, all we see are loads of brands saying sensible things in almost exactly the same way.

From the outside, it’s hard to tell who actually believes anything.

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I suggested a more direct, opinionated stance to a client recently. He just thought that would be reckless. But this is where it often gets misunderstood.

Having an opinion doesn’t mean being provocative for the sake of it.

It means being decisive about what you believe works.

For example:

• Do you believe simplicity beats optionality?
• Do you believe speed beats perfection?
• Do you believe transparency matters more than polish?

Each of those creates a natural in-group. People who agree will think “Yes. That’s us.”

And yes, some people will quietly opt out.

But all that’s happening here is filtering and by doing so you’re developing your people, who will grow to increase their trust and loyalty in you.

If every message sounds cautious, qualified and broadly agreeable, there’s nothing for the brain to latch onto and you become easy to ignore.

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A quick reality check

Strong opinions make internal life easier too.

They speed up decisions.

They reduce endless debate.

They give teams a shared focus.

Without them, every campaign feels like a fresh negotiation. Every message needs approval from everyone. Momentum leaks out through consensus.

Opinion can be a really effective marketing tool but also, it’s a clear operating system.

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Final thought

Is it time you decided what you actually stand for and be willing to let that shape how you sound?

Sure, maybe some people won’t like it. Most people won’t care.

But the right people will recognise themselves in it.

And they’re the only ones worth building for.

Speak soon,

Dan

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