Great Intentions for Greater Expectations: Rehumanising Brands Beyond the Algorithm (Pt. 3)

This is the final part of We Live Context’s Beyond the Algorithm series, created to help brand strategists decode the emotional drivers behind consumer behaviour in an AI-shaped world. Part one covers why audiences are muting you; part two explores how they’re  reclaiming control. Now, we dive into how brands can resonate in a landscape of mistrust and fatigue at algorithmic sameness.

Consumers in 2025 are hyper-aware of sophisticated techniques brands use to win attention. They know the value of their personal data and can quickly detect superficial attempts to connect. Years of over-targeting, trend-chasing, and algorithm-driven have left many feeling resistant to marketing that lacks genuine value.

Breaking through now requires more than clever creative. Brands must build long-term connections grounded in relevance, empathy and tangible value – choosing intentional actions aligned with deeper consumer values like inclusion self-confidence, and mindful consumption.

So, what can brands do to earn trust and meet consumers’ greater expectations?

The PLAYBOOK: Towards Brand Re-humanisation

1. Go beyond authenticity - live and breathe great brand intentions.

Intentions is an active word, it means continuing to work to prove your authenticity - not just claiming it. Consumers quickly spot when marketing masks societal and environmental costs. Shein’s refusal to confirm use of Xinjiang cotton linked to forced Uyghur labour camps is a case in point.

Transparency is key: consumers want to see how a brand delivers on its claims. Fashion brand Passenger gained trust by disclosing clothing origin and recycled material percentages, helping it drive its rise as one of the UK’s fastest-growing private companies.

With Gen Z’s growing purchasing  power and values-led decision-making, brands must:

• Offer value beyond products and services, supporting consumer needs even if it goes against selling more in the short-term.

• Do less but do it well. Recognise your own limitations, delivering quality, prove what you do right and actually invest in making your consumer service better than your competitors.

Consumers value brands who “have their back”, embodied by brands like Huel who show integrity by offering licensed nutritionist advice - even when it might conflict with sales. As one Gen Z consumer put it:

Huel know their limits and are not afraid to refer people to other brands. They debunk commonly held myths, like carb-free diets, on their podcast with licensed nutritionists, which doesn’t try to push people to buy just their products. They come across very genuine and are changing the conversation around nutrition.”

Similarly, Refy  streamlined its skincare range to simplify routines whilst delivering effective results with fewer products, prioritising people over consumerism. This resonates with consumers who want better solutions that fit seamlessly into their lives.

2. Curate Distinctive Experiences – unlock memorability in moments of spontaneity.

Consumers are increasingly selective about where they invest their time. They shape their lifestyle through passions, hobbies, and seek identity through a feeling of mastering them and gaining expertise. Most waking hours are spent immersed in entertainment – reflecting this desire to escape, explore, and express – yet, they crave defining, unexpected moments that spark joy and belonging.

For brands, this is an invitation to design experiences rooted in play, curiosity, and self-discovery - ensuring lasting memories are made beyond transactions. It’s about stepping into the consumers’ story and becoming a trusted companion in their search for meaning and delight in everyday life.

Brands can deliver this by:

• Curate opportunities for exploration, surfacing “things I didn’t know I didn’t know” that enhance expertise and provide social currency.

• Elevate benefits through partnerships and cross-media expansions – Netflix’s games based on its hits shows allow fans more ways to relive them.

• Adding surprise through technology….Audi Vietnam’s used EEG tech at its Q8 launch to test emotional reactions to help consumers decide if they truly wanted a car. Airline start-up Beond gave Maldives-bound passengers Apple Vision Pros for immersive entertainment.

It’s not all about tech. Lifestyle brands that create multi-sensory, high-energy offline experiences and third spaces [SG1] stand out: Amex’s Centurion Cards are a luxury example building loyalty with exclusive, unforgettable experiences, from premium family activities to whimsical Easter parties.

3. Get to the heart of your consumers: Understand the story behind the story.

True connections require going beyond the surface and understanding the context and emotional drivers behind interactions. Good research is essential, not a competitive advantage, in uncovering the goals and ‘moments’ that matter most.

It’s not just about what people need, but why. Often, the core motivation is the simple desire to feel good.

So, to get to there:

• Speak to consumers frequently, in ways that feels natural and comfortable e.g. mirror the contexts that they relate to, recreating familiar environments or integrating group dynamics to spark culturally relevant conversations.

• Prioritise making them feel good, building confidence at key touchpoints.

More than half of UK drinkers are cutting alcohol consumption and the growing alcohol-free market highlights prime examples of consumer understanding: Not Beer lowers the social barriers to ordering water in a bar, helping people blend in more easily; Tom Holland’s Bero elevates the sober experience with a premium non-alcoholic craft beer, focused on taste mastery, to build lasting trust through maximising comfort and confidence in holding ‘something’ at a bar.

Moving Forward: “We’re Breaking Free”

Algorithms don’t understand human context - what makes people happy, inspired or unique. Existing systems reduce people to patterns [SG2] and consumers are over it. They want to control over their identities, free from the constant overwhelm.

Brands that uplift individuality, offer genuine value, and focus on long-term relationships – rather than chasing fleeting trends – will thrive. The future of lifestyle lies in breaking free from algorithmic sameness, helping consumers rediscover joy, and building them up instead of boxing them in.

The research was conducted by We Live Context over several qualitative methodologies, including focus groups, interviews, and ethnographic communities with 115 Respondents in the UK and the US (Nat Rep) between 06.07.04 and 19.12.04. We Live Context abides by, and employs, members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.