Our attention span is reduced to 8 seconds per person . This is related to the overexposure we have to advertising messages. Currently, each of us is reached by 10,000 brand impacts per month , on different channels and we change screens up to 21 times per hour .
The lack of connections between people (with brands or among ourselves) is also explained by the social situation we live in. There are some factors that increase personal isolation:
Mass migration: There is currently a large migratory movement of people seeking professional development in other countries or a new opportunity. This causes the individual to lack roots in any territory.
Political polarization: Opinions today are more physician phone number list divided than ever and are increasingly radical. This means that we are pitted against each other and feel that if we are not with the majority, we are against them.
Economic inequality: There is a huge gap between jobs, wages and education. This produces many social, economic and behavioural differences between people.
Erosion of trust: we see it every day on social media, in WhatsApp chains and in our environment. Every day more fake news is generated and given credibility. Years ago, the media were large groups that had all the credibility in the world and now, people feel that we cannot even trust them. There has been a significant erosion of trust in all senses: between people, with government agencies, media and, especially, with brands. This reality affects millennials above all , since 40% of them say that they have never felt an emotional connection with any brand.
Finally, the main social change that explains the lack of a sense of belonging that we currently have is the hyperconnected world, which was created precisely to connect us with each other and the result is that it isolates us more and more. We spend the day connected, looking at our phones, social networks, etc. and we lose the sense of “socialization”, while individualism grows. For these reasons, brands have a great challenge ahead: to reconnect with people , understanding the drivers of human belonging, in order to design impactful and relevant customer experiences . This challenge goes beyond ambassadors or loyalty to a brand, since this generates loyalty, but not belonging.
Brand purpose is as important as the value of a product or service
Consumer purchasing behavior has changed. The hyperconnectivity we were talking about means that most people are looking for products and brands that not only meet their needs, but also allow them to align with their values.
The IBM Institute for Business Value conducted a study in partnership with the National Retail Federation, in which they surveyed more than 18,900 people in 28 different countries, asking them about their purchasing behaviors, consumption patterns, values and beliefs. The results indicated that consumers in 2020 are divided into two main segments:
Value-driven consumers : These people are primarily concerned with turning their money into value for the product or service they have purchased. In other words, they select brands based on price and convenience.
Purpose-driven consumers : Unlike the previous ones, they select brands based on the degree of alignment they have with their personal values and are willing to pay more, the higher that degree.
In the following graph, we can see this classification better:
explanation-brand-belonging-user-behavior
Therefore, in the times we are living in, we see how the purpose of a brand and the associated values that support it are tremendously relevant to being different and generating connection with our customers.
More and more brands are aware of this reality. For example, BBVA changed its identity a few months ago and carried out a brilliant brand strategy to position itself in the “education” territory. Its purpose was not to sell financial products, but something much more human: “to make the opportunities of this new era available to everyone.”
Another notable example is the case of Beefeater, which defends empathy and respect as a brand strategy.
How to design a Brand Belonging strategy?
To design a Brand Belonging strategy , the first step is to understand the drivers of human belonging, that is, what makes us increase our connection with something or someone.
There are numerous behavioural studies that point out different factors. At pinchaaqui.es, a branding agency , we have identified three that are common to all people and that allow us to design strategies for our clients:
