If everyone wants a village, why are brands still building islands?
For years, brands optimised for convenience. Faster checkouts. Frictionless journeys. One-click everything.
It worked... until it didn’t.
Today’s consumers are signalling something different: they don’t just want efficiency, they want belonging. As culture shifts away from isolation and algorithmic perfection, the brands winning attention and loyalty are those that build communities, not just campaigns.
So why are so many brands still building islands?
The cultural shift: From convenience to connection
In a recent piece for LBBOnline, industry leaders argue that we’ve reached the emotional limit of convenience culture. While digital platforms made life easier, they also removed something essential: shared human experience.
People miss the village.
This is a behavioural shift. Audiences now gravitate towards brands that create spaces for participation, identity, and shared values, not just transactions.
And the data backs it up.
Why community is now a commercial advantage
1. Community builds loyalty that advertising can’t buy
Research consistently shows that customers who participate in brand communities demonstrate higher loyalty, stronger brand identification, and greater lifetime value.
When people belong, they don’t simply buy, they stay.
Community turns brand preference into emotional commitment, something paid media alone cannot manufacture.
2. Communities create advocates, not just customers
The most powerful marketing comes from people who believe in it.
Strong communities transform customers into advocates who:
- Share their experiences organically
- Defend the brand in public conversations
- Influence peers through trusted word-of-mouth
This kind of influence is scarce, credible, and increasingly resistant to ad fatigue.
3. Community is a living insight engine
Brand communities are real-time intelligence.
Within an active community, brands can:
- Spot emerging needs early
- Test ideas quickly
- Understand sentiment beyond surface-level metrics
Instead of guessing what your audience wants, your community lets you listen continuously.
4. Community makes brands more resilient
In moments of uncertainty (economic shifts, reputational pressure, platform changes, etc.) brands with strong communities are more resilient.
Why? Because trust has already been earned.
Community members are more forgiving, more patient, and more willing to stick with brands that have consistently shown up for them.
5. Community is the new differentiator
Products can be copied. Prices can be undercut. Algorithms change.
Community endures.
As competition intensifies, the brands that win won’t necessarily be the loudest, but rather the ones people feel part of. The ones that replace passive consumption with participation.
Real results from our community
From skincare launches to heritage bread talkability, our creator-powered campaigns show how authenticity, lived experience and everyday narratives build measurable brand outcomes.
- Epi-Max Tissue Oil used authentic routines instead of influencer scripts to drive 7.5× organic reach and strong ROI.
- Sasko’s Freedom Day campaign turned simple meals into talkable moments, beating benchmark impressions by over 3×.
- Bioplus tapped everyday advocates to rise above category noise and power cultural relevance.
From islands to villages
The opportunity for brands is clear:
Stop building isolated campaigns and start designing ecosystems.
Community isn’t a tactic, it’s a strategy that drives loyalty, insight, advocacy and long-term growth.
We believe the future of growth belongs to brands that understand one thing:
People don’t want to be targeted. They want to belong.
If you’re ready to activate our community of 620,000+ brand advocates - let’s chat.
Justine Wheeler
Justine Wheeler, Campaign Project Manager at Creator Collective, a family of brands serving the entire creator ecosystem.
