Marketing doesn’t live in a predictable world anymore. Economic uncertainty, faster tech adoption, and constantly shifting consumer behaviour have rewritten the rules. People are spending differently, valuing differently, and switching brands more easily than ever.
Loyalty, once a steady metric on every dashboard, is losing its grip. For performance marketers, that means one thing: the old playbook doesn’t cut it anymore. Growth now depends on how well we adapt to a new kind of consumer: one who’s cautious, selective, and always scanning for value.
The economy has trained people to think differently. Inflation, subscription fatigue, and AI-driven convenience have created a consumer who expects more for every click and every conversion. They still want quality and experience, but only when brands can prove their worth. For marketers, that shift is redefining what “growth” means: not just acquiring users, but convincing them to stay, engage, and spend wisely.
Across industries, the same pattern keeps emerging: value has overtaken loyalty as the key purchase driver of consumer choice. Multiple independent studies confirm this trend.
A 2025 Net Conversion survey of 1,200 U.S. adults found that 92% have changed their spending habits in just six months, and 85% have switched brands for economic or value-based reasons. Nearly half say they feel less loyal than they did a year ago, a sign that price sensitivity and perceived fairness now outweigh familiarity and habit.
McKinsey’s State of the Consumer 2025 echoes this shift, showing that behaviours formed during the pandemic (“trading down,” researching longer, delaying purchases) have become permanent. Consumers are still spending, but far more deliberately. They’re hunting for relevance and reliability, not novelty.
At the same time, loyalty strategies are evolving fast. Loyalty360’s 2025 State of Customer Loyalty Report notes that marketers are investing heavily in personalisation, rewards, and retention programs as core growth levers rather than afterthoughts. EY’s Loyalty Market Study adds that digital touchpoints and loyalty mechanics are now central to how consumers decide where to spend.
Together, these findings confirm what performance marketers have felt for months: people still want to engage, but the reasons why they engage have changed. Brand stories still matter, but what truly drives engagement now is the combination of perceived value, authenticity, and utility at every interaction.
For performance marketers, these shifts hit close to home. Campaigns can no longer rely on clever targeting or frequency alone. The creative, message, and conversion path now need to demonstrate value instantly, or risk being ignored.
Value-first messaging is non-negotiable. Every ad must prove why it’s worth the click and the spend. Cost transparency, clear benefits, and measurable outcomes are now performance requirements, not differentiators. Even in high-LTV verticals like fintech, health, or wellness, consumers scrutinise offers through a value lens.
Loyalty is becoming the new growth strategy. Retention and acquisition can’t live in separate silos. The same data and creative intelligence that drive user acquisition must extend into re-engagement, loyalty rewards, and lifetime-value optimisation. Forward-thinking advertisers are designing acquisition funnels that nurture trust from the first touchpoint.
Consumer journeys are messier than ever. Discovery happens on social, CTV, search, and AI-driven platforms simultaneously. Consumers research longer, compare more, and expect brands to show up consistently across channels. That means omnichannel strategies and integrated measurement frameworks are no longer a “nice-to-have”, but they’re essential for efficient spend and long-term growth.
The rules of engagement are shifting for good. As research shows, value has overtaken loyalty as the main driver of consumer choice. Consumers are deliberate, analytical, and increasingly empowered by technology.
For performance marketers, that creates both pressure and opportunity. The pressure comes from higher expectations: audiences who demand relevance, proof, and purpose in every interaction. The opportunity lies in rethinking what performance means: not just conversions, but connections that last.
The brands that win won’t be the ones chasing quick clicks; they’ll be the ones building trust through relevance, transparency, and adaptability. In this new era of consumer behaviour, growth follows value: earned through consistent performance, meaningful engagement, and a clear sense of purpose.
Success belongs to the marketers who connect with intention, optimise with precision, and play the long game.
