In a market flooded with AI-generated content, which consumers are already calling"confusing, annoying, and boring", attention is scarce. Human emotion has become the ultimate premium.
Here is how fast-growing brands are making that shift:
84% of global consumers want brands to share the same values before they buy from you, and 58% of Gen Z take your silence on social issues as a lack of commitment.
But you don't need to be overly political, you just need to be clear about who you areand back it up with action.
Example: Look at the Swiss running brand, On. They partnered with Projeto Click na Favela in Brazil to build a running community and give away free shoes. Or olive oil brand Graza, who donated a massive supply of oil to feed first responders during regional fires.
Doing something that is built on a real commitment fosters genuine engagement with locals and shows that you care.
There is a massive difference between having followers and building a community.
True community members buy more, adopt new products faster, and essentially do your marketing for you.
Instead of relying on one-off campaigns, create a physical or digital space where the customers feel involved.
Example: Gymshark's Lifting Clubs. They are facilitating a shared lifestyle and giving their audience a physical place to belong.
Your most engaged customers are your growth engine.
52% of global consumers say they prefer to treat themselves with everyday experiential moments. This is where you can create a memorable moment with your customers.
In-person events, community spaces, and physical touchpoints that feel intentional are becoming measurable parts of the marketing mix.
66% of people report feeling more positive about a brand after a live experience.
Example: Look at how Oatly sponsored a local porridge-making championship in the Scottish Highlands. They created an experiential, fun moment around a niche interest that their audience loved.
As you sit down to plan your Q2 spend, it's worth asking:
And lastly, if 57% of consumers globally still want to see, touch, and feel productsbefore buying, how can eCom brands take advantage of this?
If you don't have retail stores, your product packaging is your only physical touchpoint. Which brings us to our next section.
We’d love to know what you think. Add a comment for a quick chat about this!
Not your warehouse. Not your 3PL. Another growth lever. It’s already happening - most brands just haven’t realised it yet.
For many eCommerce businesses, fulfilment sits in operations. Boxes in, boxes out. A cost centre. A line item to negotiate.
But by the time a customer receives their order, you’ve already paid for the click, won the conversion and absorbed the CAC. The parcel landing on their doorstep is often the only physical touchpoint they’ll ever have with your brand.
And it’s the moment expectations peak, which makes fulfilment far more than logistics.
PwC reports 32% of consumers will walk away from a brand they love after one bad experience. In eCommerce, that experience is typically delivery speed, accuracy, packaging, personalisation and presentation.
That’s not just operations. It’s brand equity, retention and word-of-mouth marketing wrapped into one.
Costs have risen by over 60% over five years due to digital ad competition.
Meanwhile, Marketing Metrics shows businesses have a 60–70% chance of selling to existing customers, versus 5–20% for new prospects. Deloitte research adds that brands prioritising customer experience generate 60% higher profits than competitors.
Retention is margin protection. And the unboxing moment sits at the intersection of experience and economics.
62% of consumers say packaging affects brand loyalty and repeat purchases.The GlobalData Consumer Survey found 73% consider recyclable packagingimportant to purchasing decisions. Packaging that’s not just aesthetics, but positioning, loyalty and sustainability, all in one.
Most brands optimise ads weekly but ship generic inserts in uninspiring boxes.
IFGlobal partners with Yuzu to personalise inserts based on real behaviour: first purchase, high AOV, category cross-sell, and lapsed repeat buyer.
Messaging becomes timely, relevant and measurable. That’s lifecycle marketinginside the box.
Through Supplied, brands rethink structural design, material choice, and finish as positioning tools, not just protection.
Sustainability signals matter too: IBM found 57% of consumers will change purchasing habits to reduce environmental impact, making packaging a visible statement of brand values.
This is the operational growth ecosystem that brands can tap into with IFGlobal.
Dan Thompson, Commercial & Partnerships Manager at IFGlobal, says,
“If you’re serious about growth, fulfilment can’t sit downstream from marketing. When operations and lifecycle strategy connect, every order becomes a measurable growth touchpoint, not just a completed transaction.”
We see fulfilment as part of the growth engine. When marketing, brand, and operations align, the post-purchase moment drives retention, increases LTV, and reinforces positioning.
Sometimes the smartest marketing channel isn’t the next campaign. It’s the parcel already leaving your warehouse.
Turn fulfilment into your growth lever today.
Discover IFGlobal's fulfilment services.
We are heading back up North, and we are looking for founders, marketers, and operators with something real to share.
If you've built a bulletproof retention strategy, cracked a seasonal campaign, or successfully navigated a massive operational bottleneck, we want you on stage.
This isn't about polished, corporate keynotes. It’s about honest conversations with leaders who are actually in the trenches.
Past speakers have come from SURI, Tommy Hilfiger, Represent, Trip, Lorna Luxe,and TALA. The format is conversational, genuinely useful, peer learning.
Interested? Fill out the form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
Questions? Email amelia@dtclive.com or ping us a DM.
To celebrate International Women's Day this past weekend, we asked the DTC Live Community a simple question: Which is your favourite female-founded brand right now?
If you are looking for inspiration, high-quality products, or just some brilliant people to follow, here are the top 5 brands our community is obsessed with right now:
