Think multichannel to create community
Every brand channel is volatile; they’re often at the mercy of tech giants (see Apple’s iOS 14 tracking changes and Google’s decision to phase out cookies by 2024). But volatility isn’t always negative for online brands: While physical stores were decimated by Covid-19 lockdowns, online retail flourished as we relieved lockdown anxiety and boredom by buying stuff from our couches.
Since all trends are driven by human behavior and ever-shifting cultural and economic norms, they’ll always be unpredictable. That’s why an omnichannel approach is vital. What those channels are, and where and how you create those communities, will depend on the nature of each individual brand, but making yours community-led is a way of future-proofing—it’s based on the fundamentals of human connection, not trends. The best brands are unique, recognizable propositions that genuinely add value across multiple channels; they enhance people’s lives by building communities on and offline, operating in areas people really care about and helping to define their personality.
Gymshark‘s $1 billion net worth was earned through a savvy strategy that centered on community, collaboration and content. The brand was an early adopter and shrewd user of influencer marketing, leveraging fitness influencers’ existing audiences and, in doing so, using trusted sources that went straight to its target audiences. It was also ahead of its time in using social media challenges to garner huge engagement, like 2018’s #Gymshark66. The chance to win a year’s supply of merch was almost irrelevant: The draw was instant inclusion in a global community that offered priceless bonuses when it comes to fitness—positivity and accountability.
Tell compelling stories
When it comes to community-led, omnichannel approaches, it’s your brand story that ties everything together. It not only gives you a compelling message, it ensures you stay on message wherever your brand is present. And stories are one of the things people have been drawn to for millennia.
Liquid Death is (in)famous for its bonkers, out-there use of the traditional celebrity endorsement model. The brand launched a luxury enema kit with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, for instance, as well as teaming up with Martha Stewart on a very unexpected product launch: The Dismembered Moments Luxury Candle.
On the face of it, Liquid Death’s stunts are little more than old school shock tactics: ridiculous, bombastic and gory. But they deftly avoid clichés—this content isn’t for a movie or a video game, but for plain old water. It’s a far cry from the imagery of waterfall-infused landscapes or the pretty, visibly refreshed, sporty women peddled by most water brands.
