Belonging is one of the most fundamental human needs. We seek connection through family, friendships, workplaces, neighbourhoods and shared interests. Yet as traditional forms of community evolve, brands and organisations are increasingly finding themselves playing a role in bringing people together.

From running clubs organised by activewear brands to customer communities built around shared interests, loyalty programs that offer exclusive experiences, and local businesses that become neighbourhood meeting places, the boundaries between commerce and community are becoming increasingly blurred.

For organisations, this presents an opportunity, but also a challenge. While belonging can strengthen relationships, loyalty and advocacy, genuine community cannot simply be manufactured through marketing.

The distinction lies in whether people feel connected to an organisation, or whether the organisation enables them to feel connected to something bigger than themselves.

Patterns: Belonging is increasingly built around shared interests, experiences and values

Traditional forms of community remain important, but the ways Australians connect are changing.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 81% of Australian adults felt a sense of belonging in their neighbourhood in 2024, yet 49% reported feeling isolated from others at least some of the time. This apparent contradiction highlights an important distinction: being part of a community does not necessarily mean experiencing meaningful connection.

Meanwhile, participation in traditional forms of organised community has declined. The ABS General Social Survey found that participation in social groups fell from 51% in 2019 to 45% in 2025, while formal volunteering declined from 30% to 23%.

As these patterns evolve, brands and organisations have opportunities to bring people together around common interests and experiences.

Running clubs, book clubs, fitness communities, creative workshops and brand-hosted events demonstrate how commercial organisations can create spaces for connection beyond the immediate transaction.

The relationship can also work in reverse. Communities built around shared interests can become powerful brands in their own right, transforming collective identity into commercial opportunity.

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report on Brands suggests that consumers increasingly look to brands for optimism, reassurance, education and community. Globally, 80% of respondents trusted the brands they use to do what is right, demonstrating the potential influence of familiar brands in everyday life.

The emerging pattern is that belonging is increasingly organised around what people share and do together, rather than simply where they live or the institutions they belong to.

Tensions: When community becomes a commercial strategy

As brands recognise the value of belonging, an important tension emerges between creating genuine connection and commercialising it.

A brand community may offer opportunities for friendship, participation and shared identity, but its underlying purpose often remains commercial.

This raises questions about authenticity: is the organisation investing in relationships because it values the community, or because community creates more loyal customers?

Trust becomes particularly important.

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer found that 62% of Australians held a moderate or high sense of grievance, reflecting perceptions that institutions and businesses serve narrow interests or make people’s lives harder. This creates a challenging environment for brands attempting to position themselves as community builders.

There is also a tension between belonging and exclusion. Communities often develop through shared interests, identities or experiences, but these same characteristics can create barriers for outsiders. Membership fees, purchasing requirements, exclusive events and cultural expectations can turn belonging into something people must earn or buy.

Place introduces another challenge. While digital communities can connect people across geographical boundaries, they do not necessarily replace the benefits of face-to-face interaction. According to the ABS, just 53% of Australians had weekly in-person contact with family or friends outside their household in 2025, down from 68% in 2019.

Brands may attract thousands of online followers without building meaningful relationships.

The central tension is that organisations can facilitate belonging, but genuine community requires something beyond a shared relationship with a product or brand.

Shifts: From building audiences to enabling communities

The opportunity for brands is shifting from attracting attention to creating environments where relationships can develop.

Rather than positioning themselves at the centre of every interaction, organisations can play a supporting role, providing the infrastructure, spaces, resources and experiences that allow people to connect with one another.

This shift has implications across the four cultural dimensions.

People: Participation becomes more important than passive consumption. Communities gain meaning when members contribute, share experiences and develop relationships independently of the organisation.

Government: As social connection and loneliness become increasingly important public policy concerns, opportunities emerge for partnerships between businesses, governments and community organisations. The challenge is ensuring commercial initiatives complement, rather than replace, accessible public and community services.

Place: Physical spaces are becoming an important opportunity for brands to contribute to local belonging. Cafés, retailers, sporting venues, libraries and cultural spaces can provide recurring opportunities for connection, particularly when they encourage people to gather without requiring continual consumption.

Brands: The focus shifts from claiming shared values to demonstrating them. Supporting local initiatives, creating inclusive experiences, encouraging member participation and maintaining relationships beyond individual purchases can help organisations build more credible communities.

The importance of community participation is reflected in the ABS General Social Survey, which found that 65% of volunteers were motivated by helping others or their community, while 63% wanted to do something worthwhile. These motivations suggest that meaningful participation is often driven by contribution and purpose, rather than personal reward alone.

For brands, this points towards a different measure of success. Rather than simply counting followers, memberships or repeat purchases, organisations could consider whether their initiatives create relationships, encourage participation and deliver value to the community itself.

The emerging shift is from brands building communities around themselves to brands enabling communities that have value beyond the brand.
Looking Ahead: Belonging must be earned, not manufactured
As traditional forms of community evolve, brands and organisations have an opportunity to play a meaningful role in connecting people.

But belonging is not a marketing message. It is an experience created through repeated interactions, shared purpose, trust and mutual contribution.

For organisations, the challenge is to move beyond the language of community and consider what their involvement actually enables. Do people form relationships? Can they participate without purchasing? Does the community offer something meaningful beyond commercial engagement?

The strongest brand communities may ultimately be those where people come together because of the organisation, but continue participating because of the relationships they build with one another.

In an increasingly fragmented society, the brands that make a lasting contribution to belonging may not be those that create the largest audiences, but those that help people feel genuinely connected.

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 >