New ‘Trend Loyalty’ metric reveals Gen Z’s obsession with viral products – nearly half (43%) buy just because it’s trending, signalling a major shift from long-term brand trust to fast-moving, hype-driven loyalty.
Consumers are no longer pledging lifelong loyalty to brands. They’re chasing moments, not memories.
Fueled by trends, virality, and influencer culture, the modern buyer’s allegiance shifts as quickly as their feed refreshes. This shift marks a seismic change in how trust, influence, and loyalty are built — and broken.
According to the fifth annual Customer Loyalty Index (CLI) from SAP Emarsys, the age of lifelong brand devotion is officially over.
For the first time, ‘True Loyalty’ has stalled in the UK, giving rise to a new phenomenon: ‘Trend Loyalty’, an emotionally charged, fast-moving allegiance powered by viral moments rather than lasting trust.
- Nearly half of consumers (45%) are more likely to trust a product if it goes viral, while 33% say they trust TikTok and social media trends more than ads or brand websites.
- A striking 41% have bought influencer-promoted products, almost double the average, and 64% now claim loyalty to products, not brands.
Gen Z Leads the Loyalty Revolution
According to the report, 43% of Gen Z shoppers admit to buying a product purely because it was trending online — nearly twice the rate of the general population. In fact, 20% of Gen Z say they’re loyal to brands because they trend, while 25% will be less loyal if a trending product disappoints.
“Trend Loyalty is both a risk and an opportunity for brands,” said Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys.
“It’s driven by hype, not history. If marketers want to turn the emotional rush of a trending moment into something more meaningful and lasting, they need to move fast -and understand each customer on a personal level. What sparked their interest? What emotional need did the trend tap into?”
“AI-powered personalisation at scale is key. It empowers brands to respond with relevance and speed, transforming one-off moments into repeat engagement and long-term loyalty.”
The Future of Loyalty Is Fast, Emotional, and Data-Driven
The report signals a clear transformation: loyalty is no longer built over decades but decided in seconds. Gen Z’s purchase patterns show that emotional connection and digital virality now outweigh traditional brand trust.
“Loyalty means giving customers a reason to repeat, expand and refer,” said Fred Reichheld, Bain Fellow and Creator of the Net Promoter Score. “Every interaction — whether with your brand, your people, or your systems — should deliver value that customers and partners would genuinely miss if it disappeared.”
To thrive in this new era of Trend Loyalty, brands must:
- Respond in real-time to viral moments using connected data.
- Leverage AI-powered personalisation to sustain interest beyond the trend.
- Create unified experiences that bridge online and in-store engagement.
- Focus on emotional triggers, not just transactional incentives.
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