With so much content out there, how can brands cut through the noise and get their messages across? In this DLD26 session, Franziska Gregor (Serviceplan Culture), Tobias Seemann (Adidas), Alex Turtschan (Serviceplan Group), and Kendrick Wong (Kasagi Labo) discuss how brands can create authentic connections with customers, foster belonging and build communities.
Franziska Gregor highlights a growing cultural shift: people, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are returning to real-life experiences like concerts, book clubs, and sports events as they tire of algorithm-driven feeds. “Why are we going back to theaters, to concerts?”, she asks. “We are tired of the algorithm bubbles.”
Tobias Seemann explains how Adidas’ runners clubs attract people “who would love to go running, but they don’t want to do it by themselves.” Offering them a community creates value that leads to deeper loyalty, he says.
Kendrick Wong describes similar dynamics in anime, where conventions thrive because fans seek “validation” and “a sense of belonging” that they can’t get online, he says. In addition, “you get to meet the creators”, giving fans the feeling that “they’re seeing the superstars in action.”
