Brands No Longer Want Your Loyalty. Now They Want Your Love
For direct-to-consumer companies, a new paradigm was required to win over the “digital native.” Brick-and-mortar retailers should take notice.
Gone are the days when the only goal of a company was to persuade you to buy its product. Now, making you feel kinship with a brand—even love—takes precedence.
At least, that’s what a group of influential startups believe. Eyewear maker Warby Parker, makeup seller Glossier, mattress retailer Casper—all of these companies are “direct-to-consumer” brands largely born on the internet. Sure, advertising has been about identity since before there was a Marlboro man. But these “digital native” retailers, known for indulgent niche products at accessible prices, have given an entirely new meaning to the phrase “brand affinity.”