The power of tapping into consumer passions

Connecting to passions has become the most potent avenue for brands to have a lasting effect on audiences. In a world where consumers increasingly overlook traditional advertising, personal interest has emerged as more alluring than ever. Brands can wield this power to foster strong brand identity, drive commercial success and effect positive societal change. 

Seamlessly integrating into the spaces where individuals invest their leisure time is key, and demonstrating genuine understanding, respect, and value are vital too. Pioneering research by Levergy underscores the resilience of passion-related spending during economic challenges. 

A recent Redzone event in partnership with M&C Saatchi Group South Africa explored this compelling revelation: the majority of people desire brand engagement with their passions, and the majority are inclined to support brands that reciprocate this affection. 

Levergy MD Mel Daniels says connecting with people is challenging, but  connecting with them through their passions is authentic and ensures that they are more receptive to brand messages. Brands have to pitch up authentically and have to engage authentically.

Rob Garden, strategy and communications director at Levergy, says brands that reach consumers through their passion points are likely to engage more effectively with those consumers.

Purpose led marketing or cause marketing has been a powerful tool in the past decade. Purpose also refers to what gives a brand its values. There is a real expectation that if a brand is going to support a cause it needs to be authentic. 

Passionate purpose, on the other hand, is when a brand aligns its values with shared passions; it provides an opportunity for a real connection. Passionate purpose shows your target audience that you really understand their values and their enthusiasm.

Gugu Mthembu, chief marketing officer at Telkom, says the business recognises the value of reaching consumers through their passion points. “We’ve attached ourselves to passions that we believe resonate with our consumer base. This includes less mainstream passions such as [that for] e-sports.”

Telkom has been very involved in South African netball, the most played sport in local schools. “We see ourselves as a champion of sport, particularly female sport,” said Mthembu. “It creates a good sense of belonging and helps to showcase the values of dedication and determination displayed by both players and the Telkom brand.”

Mthembu concedes that connecting with passions might not result in immediate commercial returns, but says it does have long-term brand building benefits. The hosting of the recent Netball World Cup in South Africa was a fortuitous coincidence. “We didn’t know that [this would happen] when we selected netball as a way of connecting with people,” she reveals.

Levergy’s Passion Pulse is a research study focused on consumer passions. The research revealed that South Africans have on average 4.7 passions per person, which is 13% higher than the global average. It is even higher among Gen Z. South Africans really tap into their passions: 78% of respondent rated their commitment to their passion as eight or more out of 10. Sport is the second-highest passion among South African consumers; their number one passion is cooking. More than half of respondents [enjoy] talking to family and friends about their passions.

“A passion is a truly meaningful connection point,” said Garden.   

The next Redzone event in partnership with M&C Saatchi Abel will focus on Connections and Conversations and will take place on October 27 2023 between 09h00 and 10h00.

The big take-out: South Africans have on average 4.7 passions per person. The number one passion is cooking, followed by sport, according to Levergy’s Passion Pulse research.