Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty

Good brands make money, great brands make life better.

1. Stop selling, start connecting.

Everyone’s over the “always online” life, and the savviest brands are catching on. Enter Bumble x Puma, teaming up for a singles-only run in Bangalore right before Singles’ Day (because, you know, swiping isn’t exactly cardio). It’s the anti-app meetup we didn’t know we needed. Skincare brand Astrid joined the party too, declaring a Sleepover Weekend to nudge us into old-school, face-to-face hangouts with pampering kits as the cherry on top. Heineken took things further with The Boring Mode app, which literally blocks your notifications so you can actually engage at parties without being glued to your screen like a zombie. The point is, brands that help us connect IRL are the ones we end up trusting in those big, meaningful moments — the kind of loyalty you can’t buy with a promo code. It’s emotional loyalty, and it’s stickier than anything a clever ad campaign can deliver.

2. Clear the path or get out of the way.

Let’s give it up for the businesses out there doing more than just making life easier — they’re actually tearing down the barriers that get in the way. Take Lyft’s voter access program: sure, they offered discounted rides to polling locations, but the real win was their partnership with nonprofits to reach communities who face real hurdles getting to the polls. It wasn’t just about getting you from point A to point B; it was about amplifying voices that don’t always get heard (and doing more than the bare minimum). Then there’s Dr. Bronner’s, the crunchy soap company we love for its 47 uses and endless label manifesto. They doubled down on civic duty by closing early on Election Day, giving employees paid time off to vote. It’s a rare move that shows they walk the walk when it comes to social responsibility. And Gymshark’s Twist + Sets program? They partnered with salons to offer free hair services for Black women, addressing a barrier that most fitness brands ignore: the reality that hair care concerns can deter workouts. When brands take on these real-world issues headfirst, they’re doing more than just marketing — they’re showing up as actual allies. And trust us, consumers notice when a brand goes beyond convenience to make a real difference.

3. Put your money where their mouth is.

Let’s talk about pricing games. You know the ones: the personalized algorithms that somehow know exactly how much you’re willing to fork over (and make sure you do). But a handful of brands are flipping the script, using clever tactics to actually help us save money — imagine that! Taco Bell’s “Name Your Price” tool, for instance, lets you pick a budget between $5 and $25 and serves up a surprise meal combo that fits. It’s like your own budget-friendly tasting menu, minus the tiny portions and the pretension. It’s a playful, consumer-first move that makes sticking to a budget feel less like a chore. Next up: The Ordinary’s Choose Your Price program, which gives shoppers three different pricing tiers for their skincare bundle. Pick what you can afford, and if you opt for full price, you’re helping cover the discount for someone else. It’s a pay-it-forward skincare moment, and honestly, who doesn’t love a little communal goodwill these days? With dynamic pricing starting to feel like a hustle, brands that lean into transparency are rewriting the rulebook. Give people control over their spending, and they’ll actually want to spend.

4. Teach ‘em and they’ll stick around.

Teaching a skill is the ultimate brand flex. When you show someone how to do something, you’re not just selling a product — you’re giving them a little life upgrade (and they’ll remember you for it). Case in point: Italian hypermarket Bennet’s Good To Read packs, which sneak snippets of classic novels onto milk cartons and boxes of biscotti. It’s basically the literary equivalent of slipping spinach into a smoothie, nudging shoppers to rediscover the joy of reading without even realizing it. Let’s not forget Pearl & The Beast, where customers can literally fish for their own pearls. You pluck a mussel out of the tank, crack it open, and voilà — a pearl you can turn into jewelry. It’s messy, tactile, and oddly satisfying, like a grown-up version of digging through a cereal box for a prize. Whether it’s a new hobby or just a neat trick — these experiences are sticky because it gives people a new skill to show off. It’s the kind of thing that keeps customers coming back, because now you’re part of their story, not just their shopping cart.