Copyright © 2022 Accenture. All rights reserved. 23 02 I’m a believer What comes after loyalty in the marketing funnel? If loyalty is just a program for many brands, then we think of the next level of customer relationship as participation. Participation happens when a brand or IP’s (intellectual property) superfans take their loyalty to the next level and actively play a role in shaping, using, funding, governing, or advocating for a brand. Some customers’ passion for a brand borders on emotional investment, fueling a desire to see it become a success beyond monetary gain (although this could be a part of it). + omit text; letters, realistic, algorithm version 4, aspect ratio 2:3, change 100 We expect to see more brands creating products specifically because of online communities populated by people who articulate or perhaps unwittingly surface an unmet need. Bacardi has done a number of NFT projects with several of their brands, including creating NFTs. for musicians—to connect fans with the artists they love—while receiving monetary remuneration in return. 35 This bears some of the hallmarks of old-fashioned sponsorship but with a twist, as a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brand is effectively playing the role of a record label and facilitating participation between artists and their audiences. What’s next