We are living in a new age of consumerism where any product is a few screen taps away. Catching up on the activity of our friends online and very easily turn into a shopping session with a feed ad, the mention of a new product from our friends will convince us to commit to a purchase, and we are constantly looking up the things we see in shows. Unfortunately, the shopping activities of consumers say very little about how but they connect with brands. 

According to Oberlo, 86% of consumers say authenticity is a major factor when they are deciding whether or not to support a brand. That authenticity could come from the values the brand represents in its traditional advertising efforts, however, a customer best experiences the authenticity of brands when they are interacting with other customers. Because of this, companies should be focusing on building spaces for their followers to engage with the products and the general aesthetic they want to portray. Here is how five brands have found a way to create communities that best fits their industry. 

Nike Training & Run

Although the brand is also known for its lifestyle shoes and clothing, athletic attire is Nike’s bread and butter. Since its founding, the workout brand has had a number of celebrity collaborations and endorsements that attracts customers to dress like their favorite athletes. Feeling like these phenomenons, however, is more of a struggle. 

Hearing the call to encourage active use of their products, Nike has launched two apps — Nike Training and Nike Run — that follow their consumers along their fitness journeys. But platforms are filled with content from influencer trainers, celebrity athletes, and others who are dedicated to making fitness goals a reality. Nike is ultimately providing its consumers with the best way to embody its fit and functional lifestyle. And, during times when it is safe, these online communities even organize in-person group workouts. 

Starbucks Rewards

Made popular for its cafe creations, Starbucks is now the most popular coffee and tea chain. In any major city, you will find a string of locations no more than two blocks apart from each other. Despite the success of their products, Starbucks still works to keep customers engaged in new and exciting ways. The Starbucks Rewards system is a membership system that allows its users to place orders, earn rewards — like free drinks or even merchandise — and even refer friends in exchange for more friends. 

The platform is more than just an online ordering system: it is the virtual equivalent of a small coffee community that remembers your orders and will treat you for loyalty. By establishing a system that gives the regular customer a chance at exclusive perks, they have updated their brand into one that wants its most loyal customers to feel special.

Savage X Fenty Exclusives

As part of the Fenty empire, Savage X is backed by its superstar founder Rihanna. And while its initial success could have been attributed to consumers’ desire to support the singer-turned-entrepreneur, the company’s quality and revolution for a more inclusive lingerie industry. One of the ways that the brand has established itself as a reputable brand is through its community creation programs. 

Every customer has the opportunity to join Savage’s Xtra VIP membership, which essentially offers up exclusive box sets from each monthly collection as well as notably discounted prices. In appreciating all the different shapes and sizes it makes products for, the brand also has an ambassador program that features rising influencers in its finest Fenty threads. 

Red Bull Campus Outreaches

If one fact about the U.S.’s most popular energy drink is true, it’s that their consumer base consists mainly of college-age students. As a company that puts out a product with the intention of keeping its users charged up and ready to handle anything, it makes sense that the movers and shakers of society would rely on Red Bull. And while the company could have stopped there, relying on its reputation, it decided to support its biggest consumer pool through community. 

Red Bull Basement is a program that empowers college students to be innovative in the areas that they are studying. The goal of the program is to connect students under the Red Bull name and to give them the opportunities to be leaders in the future they are making. While Red Bull gives the participants the responsibility of campus ambassadors, it also offers special events with Red Bull-endorsed change-makers. 

Peloton and Online Classes

In 2012, Peloton launched as the sleekest home bike for stationary cycling exercise. Nearly a decade later, the company has expanded its horizons, now becoming a provider of fitness settings no matter the space or time struggles of its uses. One element of its evolution into the trendy exercise providers is its class schedules and options.

Every Peloton owner or renter has the option to take workout classes with trainers that have now become recognizable personalities. HIIT classes, music-themed classes, and other concepts have created a reason for Peloton users to relate and connect with each other. The exercise equipment company has also released an app for off-bike workouts. 

The idea of community is different for each company, meaning no one type will fit every brand. However, companies could benefit in the trust and loyalty platforms that give consumers more interaction outside of social media engagement and product purchasing. They also have the opportunity to embody the values of their brand and to encourage the lifestyles they promote.