Shocking Truth: 72% of Consumers Invite Brands into their Sacred Rituals!

By The Malketeer

Brands that Master the Art of Ritual Creation will be Writing Tomorrow’s Success Stories

In a world where marketers constantly seek the holy grail of consumer connection, a groundbreaking study has uncovered a startling revelation: rituals might just be the secret condiment brands have been searching for.

Recent research conducted by WARC Advisory and MSQ has pulled back the curtain on how deeply rituals are interwoven into consumers’ lives – and how brands can leverage this knowledge to forge unbreakable bonds with their audience.

The Ritual Revolution: More Than Just Habits

Gone are the days when rituals were confined to religious ceremonies or cultural traditions.

Today, they’ve infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from our morning coffee routines to our bedtime skincare regimens.

But what exactly constitutes a ritual in the modern world?

The study defines rituals as “a succession of behaviours designed to induce an emotional transformation.”

This isn’t just about repetitive actions; it’s about the meaning and emotion infused into these behaviours.

Here’s where it gets interesting for marketers: a whopping 72% of consumers incorporate specific brands into their rituals, at least some of the time.

The Emotional Goldmine: Why Rituals Matter to Brands

Kate Howe, Executive Director at MSQ, puts it brilliantly: “By understanding the emotional transformations that rituals are designed to induce, brands can align their strategies to resonate more deeply with consumers’ emotional needs.”

This isn’t just about selling products; it’s about becoming an integral part of consumers’ lives.

The study reveals that 39% of consumers feel more positively toward brands that become part of their rituals.

That’s not just brand loyalty – that’s brand love.

The Ritual-Ready Consumer: A New Frontier

Hold onto your marketing principles, because this next statistic is a game-changer: 70% of consumers are ‘very, or somewhat, open’ to adopting new rituals.

This presents an unprecedented opportunity for innovative brands to create and shape rituals that resonate with their target audience.

From Meaning to Marketing: The Ritual Roadmap

So, how can brands tap into this ritual goldmine? The research offers some guiding principles:

1. Personal Meaning Trumps Practicality: One in four people say rituals help create “the rules or beliefs for living my life.” It’s not just about function; it’s about purpose.
2. The Self-Care Revolution: 56% of rituals centre around personal care or deepening connections with others. Brands that align with self-improvement and relationship-building are poised for success.
3. Structure in Chaos: In our volatile world, rituals provide stability. The top three benefits of rituals? Structure (33%), escape (32%), and control (31%).
4. Beyond Efficiency: While technology pushes for ever-increasing efficiency, rituals offer a counterbalance, adding meaning and emotion to our daily lives.

The Brand Ritual Blueprint: Observe, Facilitate, Participate

Imaad Ahmed, Head of Advisory, EMEA & Americas at WARC, offers this nugget of wisdom: “Brands who actively observe customer behaviour, facilitate enhanced ritual experiences when customers allow, and participate in those rituals as much or as little as the customer chooses, tend to win.”

The message is clear: brands that become part of consumers’ rituals grow in emotional value.

And in the world of marketing, emotional value is the ultimate currency.

One thing is certain: the brands that master the art of ritual creation and participation will be the ones writing the success stories of tomorrow.

After 20 years of evolving technology, shifting market trends, and adapting to changing consumer behaviour, the media landscape has nearly reached saturation.

We’ve optimised to the fullest, providing advertisers with abundant choices across technology, platforms, data-driven marketing, CTV, OTT, DOOH, influencer marketing, retail, etc.

Media specialists have diversified, but with more options comes the challenge of maintaining income growth. The industry is expanding, but revenue isn’t keeping pace.

Now, we’re at a TURNING POINT: time to explore and harness new sustainable revenue streams. While GroupM forecasts a 7.8% global ad revenue growth in 2024, challenges like antitrust regulation, AI and copyright issues, and platform bans persist.  

Collaboration is key: partnerships that thrive on synergy, shared values, and aligned goals are becoming increasingly essential.

Hence, the Malaysian Media Conference, in its 20th year, has assembled the partners and players under one roof on October 25 for a day of learning, sharing, and exploring.

 

REGISTER NOW