Brand Lessons from a Tiny Traveler
What a caterpillar's journey across my keyboard taught me about brand excellence
What a caterpillar's journey across my keyboard taught me about brand excellence
While working outside, a maple spanworm caterpillar made its way across my keyboard, down the table, and onto the forest floor. At barely 21 mm long and camouflaged like a twig, each step it took was clumsy at times, but full of quiet determination.
That tiny trek underscored three fundamental truths every brand leader should embrace.
🔍 Details matter, and they drive revenue
Every move this little caterpillar made felt intentional, even in its imbalance, and in branding, it’s often those small, deliberate actions that shape the most significant outcomes.
Every move this little caterpillar made felt intentional, even in its imbalance, and in branding, it’s often those small, deliberate actions that shape the most significant outcomes.
According to Forrester (2023), organizations that invest in both brand experience (BX) and customer experience (CX) can achieve up to 3.5× revenue uplift compared to those that don’t. Furthermore, 77% of B2B purchase influencers say brand awareness is critical to building trust, and 83% of buyers who trust a brand are likely to remain loyal (Forrester, 2023).
Excellence doesn’t come from one big decision; it comes from hundreds of thoughtful ones made consistently over time.
🧭 Consistency builds trust and profit
Despite unpredictable terrain, the caterpillar moved with rhythm, correcting itself with each stumble and adjusting with instinctive awareness.
Despite unpredictable terrain, the caterpillar moved with rhythm, correcting itself with each stumble and adjusting with instinctive awareness.
The same goes for brands. Edelman (2025) reports that 80% of people trust the brands they use more than institutions like the government or the media. And brand trust has steadily increased since 2022, climbing from 60% to 67%, while institutional trust has continued to lag (Edelman, 2025).
In a noisy world, consistency isn’t just nice to have; it’s what builds trust, familiarity, and credibility.
💪 Tenacity Reflects Strategic Brand Discipline
This tiny creature didn’t know what challenges lay ahead, but it kept going.
This tiny creature didn’t know what challenges lay ahead, but it kept going.
That kind of tenacity, which is purposeful, imperfect, and quietly relentless, is what great branding demands. As Edelman (2025) highlights, 73% of consumers say brands that reflect current culture earn more trust, and 50% say they assume the worst when brands are silent on important issues.
Strategic brand leadership isn’t loud. It’s deliberate, responsive, and built through alignment, not accidents.
🐛 The Real Star of This Story, the Maple Spanworm Caterpillar
The maple spanworm (Prochoerodes lineola) is a master of disguise; twig-like in form, with the classic looping motion of inchworms. Found across eastern North America, including Vermont, it’s known for mimicking twigs so convincingly that predators often pass it by (BugGuide, n.d.). Later in life, it transforms into a subtly patterned moth with angular wings and muted browns that blend seamlessly into tree bark.
The maple spanworm (Prochoerodes lineola) is a master of disguise; twig-like in form, with the classic looping motion of inchworms. Found across eastern North America, including Vermont, it’s known for mimicking twigs so convincingly that predators often pass it by (BugGuide, n.d.). Later in life, it transforms into a subtly patterned moth with angular wings and muted browns that blend seamlessly into tree bark.
Like great branding, its survival depends on camouflage, consistency, and adaptation, making it an unexpectedly perfect teacher for anyone in the business of building trust.
References
Forrester (2023). Brand is a long game: The tangible value of B2B brand investments. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/brand-is-a-long-game-the-tangible-value-of-b2b-brand-investments/
Edelman. (2025). 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust, From We to Me. https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2025-06/2025%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20Special%20Report%20Brand%20Trust%2C%20From%20We%20to%20Me_FINAL_0.pdf
BugGuide. (n.d.). Species Prochoerodes lineola – Large Maple Spanworm – Hodges#6983. Iowa State University Department of Entomology. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9657
