ELITRENDS: Joyning

While technology and digital platforms constantly redefine how we interact, a paradox emerges: a growing global population experiences heightened loneliness and isolation. Despite the easing of pandemic-related lockdowns, a substantial 33% of individuals worldwide grapple with loneliness. Consequently, in 2023, consumers will increasingly seek out and endorse brands that actively facilitate authentic, supportive, and meaningful connections to combat this pervasive issue.

CASE 1 - CONNECTIVITY CULTIVATORS

Facilitating conversations over shared interests

Agbora, crafted by a diverse team of engineers hailing from Nigeria, Egypt, India, and the United States, has a primary focus on serving the African populace and its diaspora. This platform was conceived as a space for professionals to freely express themselves, expand their social networks, foster profound connections, and facilitate opportunities by enabling users to share their experiences and glean insights from one another.

Agbora represents a larger trend of initiatives that aim to unite individuals with shared interests. Be it travel enthusiasts, Pokémon Go aficionados, or digital nomads, people are actively seeking meaningful connections, and they increasingly expect brands to play a role in initiating these conversations.

Think: How will you help consumers connect over the values you represent?

CASE 2 - CROWD NURTURING

Cultivating connections with those who really matter

Remento, a Los Angeles-based company dedicated to the preservation of family narratives, has unveiled a fresh app designed to offer conversation prompts that stimulate family members to exchange stories about their life journeys. With their expectations shaped by the transformative digital services that have revolutionized interactions with strangers, consumers are now applying a similar mindset to their close relationships, whether with family, friends, or local communities.

During the pandemic, these communal ties strengthened significantly. Consequently, individuals are actively seeking tools that aid them in managing time, handling logistics, and enriching their experiences when connecting with those who hold the most significance in their lives.

Think: What can you offer to help people strengthen bonds within their inner circles?

CASE 3 - FANDOM FORGING

The emergence of brand communities 3.0

In September 2022, Scotch & Soda, in collaboration with Salesforce and AE Studio, underwent a transformative journey by converting their conventional loyalty program into an NFT-powered web3 community, aptly named Club Soda 3.0. The launch included the creation of a limited edition of 1,000 Founder’s Pass NFTs, acting as exclusive keys to unlock the world of the web3 community, replete with unique experiences, events, and brand offers.

Web3 technology is heralding a new era for brand communities, offering companies the opportunity to introduce token-gated initiatives, while also allowing consumers to hold ownership stakes within the communities they actively participate in. With a substantial 47% of US Gen Z members already engaged in digital communities, the moment to initiate one of your own has arrived.

Think: How will you foster a brand community that’s mutually beneficial?

Conclusion

In our digitally driven world, where technology constantly transforms how we connect, a surprising paradox emerges - a substantial 33% of people globally grapple with loneliness, even as we become more interconnected. In response to this profound societal issue, consumers in 2023 are seeking brands that actively foster authentic, supportive, and meaningful connections. Cases like Agbora, promoting shared interests, Remento, nurturing familial bonds, and Scotch & Soda's innovative Club Soda 3.0 underscore the importance of brands' roles in combating this loneliness paradox, aligning with consumers' growing expectations for more meaningful connections within their communities, whether digital or familial.