It may feel strange to think about belonging and brands together, but if you interrogate your habits and spending patterns, you might find that there are many brands in your life that you are loyal to because they helped you to feel a part of a community.

From the obvious ones like the football club you’ve grown up supporting, to the less obvious like the skatewear brand you rep, or the protein powder you put in your smoothie.

These brand relationships can go beyond the products or services we purchase. They become part of how we see ourselves, how we connect with others and, sometimes, how we feel we belong.

Creating a sense of belonging as a brand can be incredibly powerful, but must be earned, not manufactured.

Belonging is still an essential need

Social Identity Theory suggests that we partly define ourselves through the groups to which we belong. Whether that’s our family, community, profession, sporting team or shared interests, these connections help shape our identity.

But as our articles over this past month have explored, Australians are feeling increasingly disconnected.

According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s sense of belonging index declined from 88 in 2020 to 77 in 2024, its lowest level since the measure began in 2007.

Meanwhile, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting shows that 49% of Australian adults felt isolated from others at least some of the time in 2024, while 41% reported sometimes or often feeling left out.

This means that there is a gap that brands have an opportunity to fill – not because brands can replace genuine human relationships, but because they can provide spaces, experiences and common interests that help bring people together.

For decades, brands have worked to build relationships with their customers through advertising, loyalty programs and increasingly personalised communication – but don’t fall for the common trap as a brand of believing that recognition is the same as connection.

Australian and New Zealand research from TRA, involving more than 2,000 people, found that loyalty schemes (46%), supporting causes consumers care about (39%) and partnerships with groups or interests they identify with (27%) were among the factors contributing to brand connection.

In comparison, just 2% of Australians spontaneously identified personalisation as something that made them feel connected to brands.

This distinction matters, as a personalised birthday email might make someone feel recognised as a customer, but being invited to participate in something meaningful, meet like-minded people or contribute to a shared cause can help create a sense of community.

So why is belonging important to brands? Because it can be a powerful driver of brand loyalty.

In its State of Fashion 2026 report, McKinsey and The Business of Fashion found that 89% of surveyed consumers identified being part of a ‘like-minded community’ as something that strengthened their emotional connection to a brand.

This was higher than memorable advertising campaigns (72%), engaging social media content (68%) and influencer endorsements (67%).

Closer to home, research from Sprout Social, which covered a nationally representative survey of 900 Australians aged 18 and older, found that 76% of surveyed consumers said they would choose a brand they felt connected to over a competitor, while 57% reported being more likely to increase their spending with that brand.

Belonging can move a brand from being one of many available choices to becoming part of someone’s identity. And when a brand becomes part of who we are, switching can mean giving up more than a product.

However, the same research revealed that while 43% of people are now part of more communities – including digital and in-person communities – than they were two years ago, only 14% of women and 5% of men say they feel part of a brand’s community.

So while we are seeking belonging, many of us struggle to feel that with a brand.

What this teaches us is that social media following does make a community. Neither does a customer database, a membership program or an online group where the primary purpose is to share marketing messages.

Genuine belonging requires something more. People need to feel that they share something with others, that their participation matters and that the relationship offers value beyond the transaction.

A brand might facilitate the connection, but it shouldn’t always need to be at the centre of it. And it needs to be authentic above anything else.

What can brands do differently?

Successful communities often form around a common interest, passion, value or experience. Think of LEGO enthusiasts sharing creations, runners participating in Nike-supported clubs, or AFL supporters united by their team’s successes and disappointments.

The product or organisation provides a starting point, but the relationships and shared experiences give the community meaning.

For brands, the question becomes less about what customers have in common demographically and more about what brings them together emotionally and culturally. And then it is about creating opportunities for connection or participation.

This might look like events, shared rituals, user-generated content, co-creation or opportunities for customers to connect directly with one another to share their passions and experiences.

And above all, be authentic and consistent.

Consumers are increasingly conscious of the difference between genuine values and marketing messages, as demonstrated in Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer, which found that 73% of respondents said their trust in a brand would increase if it authentically reflected contemporary culture.

This means brands understanding the communities a brand serves, recognising what matters to them and showing up consistently in ways that reflect those values.

Belonging presents a key opportunity for brands to create loyal customers by facilitating meaningful connections. But be warned – belonging cannot simply be manufactured through a campaign, purchased through sponsorship or measured by the number of social media followers.

It develops through shared values, consistent experiences, participation and the relationships people build along the way, and by really knowing your brand community.

Which is where Square Holes can help….

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed method explorations of people and culture beyond the category,  uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration. If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture, let’s start a conversation >