Brands often talk about the importance of community, but what does it actually look like in practice? Rather than just a veiled term for customer base, community is critical for brands competing in today’s ever-crowded landscape. To build and foster a community at a time when consumers are more discerning than ever, it takes an exacting strategy that spans marketing, events and clienteling efforts.
This was the topic of discussion on Thursday, 11 September, at Little Ned in New York City, where Vogue Business and Diageo hosted an evening of cocktails and conversation on the importance of community and what it means today. Joining executive Americas editor Hilary Milnes for a panel discussion was Jennifer Zuccarini, founder and CEO of Fleur du Mal; Libby Strachan, director of brand marketing at Free People; and Patricia Borges, global managing director of gins and rums for Diageo, as well as CEO of Ketel One and Zacapa.
Each panelist spoke to their brands’ unique approaches to community. For Borges, working in spirits relies on bringing people together to celebrate. “It always starts with a really deep understanding of the consumer — what they care about, what they like and what’s relevant for them so that experience can be meaningful,” Borges said. As a global company, Diageo is sure to show up in a way that’s unique and fitting for whatever market they’re looking to make an impact in.
At Fleur du Mal, Zuccarini said she leans into the lingerie label’s association with desire and sensuality. This summer, Fleur du Mal hosted a pyjama party in the Hamptons and teamed up with Roberta’s Pizza in Brooklyn to create a special aphrodisiac pizza. Zuccarini, who launched the brand in 2012, thinks of herself as her customer prototype. “The way I think about community, I try to look at it through the lens of what would I be interested in, what do I want to attend?” she said. “And I think that resonates with our consumer and our community.”
At Free People, Strachan wants to think outside of the box of typical influencer trips, which have come to define brand community-building. “I really feel like the market is shifting a little bit away from that, or there at least needs to be a creative spin to doing it,” said Strachan. “Customers are like, ‘I want that experience too. What about us? How can I get involved if you do a sweepstakes or a giveaway and bring someone along so it isn’t just the same people that are always being taken by brands every week on a trip.’” One memorable event Free People hosted recently was an EV Salon, in partnership with Substacker and host Erica Veurink, who often puts on romance novel events. It’s a more intimate way to give people a good experience, which Strachan said is increasingly important in an age where traditional social media metrics like likes and comments are no longer indicative of strong performance. Instead, she looks for shares and reposts.
Each speaker agreed that customers today — Gen Zs included — are craving in-person connection. Hosting events that align with their brands and leave a lasting memory is key to building community. But what about those who can’t come in person? Facebook groups and Instagram broadcast channels, as well as live shopping, can all bring people together online. The important part is not to think of online and offline customers as separate entities, but different sides of the same coin.
What about the idea that young people aren’t going out anymore? “If you can host something that people are excited to attend, everyone still wants to go to a great party. That hasn’t gone away,” said Zuccarini.
That’s true for Borges as well, who says that her teams are adapting to the new relationships young people have with alcohol and building communities online as well as offline — activity such as the Tanqueray No. TEN ’Cocktail of Dreams’ campaign asked influencers to share the experience of having a bespoke cocktail created for them using their dream data.
"We don t actually see a separation between an online community and an in-person community. Those are very two different expressions of the same community we are building. We use digital as a way to make our relationship build deeper and stronger.” said Borges. “For example, the Cocktail of Dreams campaign wasn’t just about the drink — it was about identity, creativity, and connection. That kind of storytelling allows us to deepen relationships online, not just amplify them."
