The solution may lie in emotion and creativity. Brands that go into personalisation, storytelling, and unique formats don’t just get attention, but spark genuine connection. Emotionally engaged users show 23% greater loyalty to brands. In a crowded world, the feeling that a brand is “speaking directly to me” is the ultimate competitive edge. In this article, Flowwow’s Brand Director, Irina Tatarionova, summoned up her five thoughts on how brands can speak directly to their clients.

Turn childhood memories into brand magic

Nostalgia is all about an emotional anchor that makes people feel a part of a bigger story, and brands that tap into it can create powerful bonds. Interestingly, it works even when audiences didn’t live through the times being referenced. Think the whole 80s obsession with its familiar cultural codes that spark real emotions and offer belonging. Studies show that 68% of Gen Z respond positively to nostalgic branding, and 61% of millennials say it boosts their perception of a brand and increases their intent to buy. In fact, nostalgic campaigns generate twice the emotional response of non-nostalgic ads, and even simple packaging tweaks can lift sales by 16%.

Many brands use nostalgia hooks in different forms – from limited-edition drops to retro aesthetics – and it doesn’t even require huge budgets. Even small brands can play with nostalgia: it can be social media filters, collaborations with local artists, or capsule collections tied to “things we all remember”.

Burberry has reinvented its heritage by blending classic trench coat designs with digital innovation. A recent NFT collection allowed customers to own digital versions of iconic pieces, merging exclusivity with retro appeal. Similarly, Nintendo keeps refreshing its classic franchises like Mario and Pokémon through limited-edition retro consoles and mobile remakes of vintage games.

Ride the TikTok wave

Gen Z is known for their fading attention span – just three seconds needed to decide if content is worth engaging with. That’s why short-form video is now essential: 70% of Gen Z prefer videos under 60 seconds, and 77% use TikTok to discover new products. 

For brands, this means abandoning “top-down” campaigns and meeting people natively where they are. It goes with viral challenges, catchy storytelling, and collaborations with micro-influencers. Best of all, this whole content doesn’t have to be costly. Brands can test lots of diverse UGC’s, launch challenges with modest prizes, and seed content in niche communities. Once something resonates, it can then be scaled into wider campaigns. The secret is iteration speed – catching the wave before competitors do.

ASOS is using TikTok to launch fashion challenges, drop limited collections, and fuel viral UGC campaigns that drive discovery and sales among younger shoppers. They choose to work with micro-influencers, adapting to different tov’s so that all the content mentioning ASOS feels really authentic just like a friend’s suggestion.

Build community

Catchy creative campaigns are great, but they fade with time. The other thing is an engaged community, which stays, remains loyal, and brings customer retention rates by as much as 53%. The difference lies in shifting from a one-way message to an ecosystem where customers can actively contribute.

Alo Yoga targets health-conscious women aged 25-40 who care deeply about sustainability and quality, and positions itself as a holistic lifestyle brand promoting wellness and mindfulness. By building a strong network of yoga instructors, influencers, and customers who share authentic experiences online, Alo creates a participatory culture. Real stories from their community and community-led programmes make the brand feel both premium and relatable, leading to a loyal customer base that sees Alo as more than just a fashion label.

Use emotional currency

As people are getting more sceptical towards ads, gifting can become a new way to create authentic brand experiences. Collaborating with micro-influencers (who generate up to 60% higher engagement rates than larger influencers) doesn’t always need to be about cash – instead, unique branded gifts bring real emotions and organic promotions as well. Unboxing moments, limited-edition sets, or personalised merchandise resonate particularly strongly with Gen Z, who value uniqueness and personal relevance above price. As a result, stronger ROI’s, more trust, and upcoming UGC’s attached.

At Flowwow, we always think of local traditions when making creative influencer campaigns. In the UAE, we highlighted cultural respect through our Ramadan-inspired crescent-shaped bouquets with personalised cards. In Spain, for Saint Jordi, we sent red roses with handwritten messages. In 90% of cases, these gestures led to organic mentions, proving that small, thoughtful touches often outperform big-budget campaigns. And many brands worldwide choose the same strategy – think Sephora, McDonald’s, Adidas, Dunkin’, etc.

Make micro-moments matter

Finally, some of the strongest connections come from micro-moments. These are the small daily rituals where brands can embed themselves easily – like, a special app to start your day actively, food for a cheat meal, streaming for a Friday night. Research shows that 72% of consumers add brands into their personal routines, which sounds like a red flag to those brands who want to become part of these moments that build emotional associations and long-term loyalty.

Duolingo does this brilliantly, turning language learning into a daily ritual. With streak rewards, quite a pushy but still funny owl, and push notifications that nudge at just the right time, the app has become part of routines. Moreover, their tov has boomed into viral TikToks and memes. 

The age of one-size-fits-all digital advertising is over, and now is the time for brands to understand what they can do to feel personal. The secret ingredient might be about nostalgia, or maybe it’s in experimenting with diverse formats. Or is the game worth mixing? 

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