We don’t choose brands; we choose identities
The brands we consume are not a coincidence.
Have you ever wondered why the Stanley cups became a phenomenon? Why did a reusable cup drive people to fight in stores? And perhaps the biggest question: how did a cultural sensation become yesterday's trend?
These cups became a sensation not just because of their features. This tall reusable cup can keep drinks cold or hot for extended periods…yes, but also many others on the same shelf. We can include the famous Labubus, Dubai-style chocolate, Adidas Samba and Trader Joe’s tote bags in the same list of desirable trending items that were not chosen just for their capabilities.
But why are people drawn to items like these? It’s not only because they are novelties. Consumers are choosing mass-consumed commodities like these because they give them an identity and “access” to communities, conversations, and cultural moments [1].
The psychology behind it
We are more likely to choose products that align with identities we consider important. We are under the impression that consuming a specific product or brand will cause us to be perceived differently. 🎭
Don’t get me wrong…quality is still relevant. But consumers want the brand or product to be recognizable enough to signal belonging to a certain group: a richer, more modern, cooler, or even healthier group.
Going back to the Stanley example, using these cups gave people the perception that they were communicating:
Organized routines
Wellness culture
Motherhood and family life
Fitness and hydration
A polished social media lifestyle
Membership in a highly visible consumer trend
Stanley’s recognizable products made it especially effective as a social signal.
And yes, there are marketing strategies that can help position your brand within a certain niche, but at the end of the day, this “coolness” is socially created. A company cannot simply declare itself cool; a community must collectively agree that it is. Once that agreement forms, the label becomes a shortcut to belonging with the cool kids.
The Trend Cycle
The cycle of a trending product or brand can go like this:
A small group discovers the product.
Creators and early adopters give it cultural meaning.
More people purchase it to participate or “belong”.
The product becomes instantly recognizable and desirable.
Mass adoption reduces its distinctiveness.
The most trend conscious consumers move to the next product.
Once something feels dated, too common or mainstream, culturally alert consumers migrate to the next symbol. And again, Stanley users felt the cultural symbol change, and that's when Owala bottles entered the chat. 👀
Advertising Specialty Institute data showed Stanley searches were down approximately 50% in 2025 while Owala searches increased 60% [2]. This demonstrates that when a product approaches steps 5 and 6 of the trend cycle, there’s room for another brand to climb toward the top.
Social Media Accelerates The Cycle
In the past, trends spread through schools, workplaces, magazines and celebrities. Social media now exposes millions to the same signals at once. Repetition makes products feel socially accepted, while creators signal group identity and comments reinforce approval. Hauls, unboxings, group chats and algorithms all accelerate this effect, until a product feels widely known and culturally unavoidable.
An NP Digital survey of U.S. consumers found that more than 40% of Gen Z and Millennials had purchased a product after discovering it on social media [3]. Gen Z also uses social media more frequently for research and product comparison. PwC describes these consumers as willing to spend on purchases that provide emotional value, identity, and “social currency” [4].
This supports the idea that a product does not need to be objectively superior. It needs to be visible in the right feeds, used by the right people, and understood by the desired community.
The same formula applies to hospitality
In the hospitality field, food and service remain essential, but identity, atmosphere, prestige, exclusivity, and belonging influence preference and loyalty. Quality gets people through the door, but identity influences which door they choose.
Northwestern’s restaurant research found that food quality was the strongest reason diners recommended a restaurant, while ambiance was the second strongest factor [5]. Ambiance and overall restaurant experience can go from interior design, lighting, and cleanliness to customer service, menu design, tableware, signage, takeout packaging and the overall energy of the crowd.
But these elements do more than make a business enjoyable. Together, they create an identity that customers can recognize and connect with. A hospitality study found that product quality consistency, brand prestige, symbolism and the overall experience strengthen a customer’s identification with a restaurant. That identification then contributes to loyalty. In other words, diners may choose a restaurant because it represents who they are, or who they want to be [6].
Brands cannot fully control how people perceive them, but they can shape perception through consistent quality, recognizable design, intentional experiences, clear values, and the communities they build around them. They can choose the signals they send, but consumers decide whether those signals feel real, desirable, and worth sharing.
Quality builds trust, visibility creates attention but identity is what creates belonging. And the brands that understand this are not just selling a cup, food, or a service. They are giving people a way to express who they are and where they want to belong.
Sources:
1 Research published in the Journal of Consumer Research
2 ASI Data