In a marketplace defined by tightening wallets, endless choice, and rising consumer skepticism, brands are being forced to rethink what loyalty truly means. On the PR’s Top Pros Talk podcast, Doug Simon spoke with Theresa Bertrand, Head of Strategy at Zeno Group, about the firm’s Brand Love and Demand study and why emotional connection is driving sustained growth in 2026.

Theresa and her team surveyed over 3,000 U.S. consumers. At the heart of the research was a pressing question: What makes consumers not just buy something once, but multiple times? “It’s been close to my heart and close to a lot of people's hearts lately, brand love,” Theresa explains. What they uncovered were powerful insights shaping today’s consumer behavior. “For me, the most surprising thing is just this contradiction that people are living in right now, where people are more selective than ever with their money, which makes sense. And 75% say they are more selective with the brands that they let into their lives.” With more than half a million brands competing globally, consumers are highly selective about which ones earn space in their lives. Yet once a brand crosses that threshold, the relationship often deepens beyond transactional logic. “At the same time, once we do let a brand in, we stick with them, even when it's inconvenient, even when prices go up, even when it's not as easy to get. You have to wait a long time for shipping times and things like that when there's more effort. If a brand has already sort of gotten its way into a person's life, they'll stick with it even through those hard times, to a point.” With endless options available, trust is more vital than ever. By delivering value, consistency, and emotional connection, brands often become embedded in the consumer’s habits and identity.

Theresa emphasizes that earning brand love requires different tactics, particularly across generations. “We have to tailor to our audiences, and the same goes for how people look at brands. And it really does fall on generational lines.” Gen Z seeks brands that reflect identity and speak their language. Millennials demand proof over promises, rewarding action and service over slogans. Gen X resists hype, gravitating toward consistency and reliability. Boomers value loyalty. “They will be so loyal to brands if they're shown loyalty back. And that comes in the form of perks, VIP discounts, VIP experiences, things like that,” Theresa explains. The implication for communicators is clear: relevance builds resonance. Loyalty is not one-size-fits-all; it is shaped by lived experience and generational expectations.

As media consumption shifts, so does advocacy. Theresa underscores that word of mouth remains the single strongest driver of brand love, but its channels have expanded. “Word of mouth is still the number one driver of advocacy, which is what leads to more people falling in love with brands. It can take many forms. It can be, you know, sitting around a table with a friend or a family member. It could be on social media, TikTok, or Discord. That's word of mouth, but also, AI is word of mouth.” Platforms like TikTok and Discord now sit alongside generative AI as trusted recommendation engines. Consumers increasingly query AI for the same advice they once sought from friends.

As AI becomes embedded in decision-making, Theresa sees earned media playing an even more foundational role in shaping what surfaces in those responses. “It’s a very human way of using technology,” she says, describing how campaigns that authentically demonstrate product use align naturally with how people later search for solutions. “So, it's become such a symbiotic kind of ecosystem and relationship between technology and humans.” In this environment, the sources feeding large language models, such as earned coverage, credible storytelling, and consistent messaging, become strategic assets.

Looking ahead to 2026, Doug asks whether communicators should feel optimistic. Theresa’s perspective echoes a broader industry shift: PR is a strategic leader. “It’s come full circle. I think now what we're doing more than ever is putting PR first in a marketing mix, because it's about the story that you're telling, who's telling the story, where is that story getting told, and importantly, the influence of all of those different factors.” In an era where consumers cannot be easily persuaded by paid placements alone, and where AI responses cannot simply be bought, earned credibility matters more than ever. “PR, I think it's just how we've been raised. We earn attention. We earn belief. You don't pay for AI in terms of when you're querying for it, yet, because that's coming for that placement. Being able to influence the channels through earned is the strongest way to drive advocacy, full stop.” For Theresa, brand love is not a soft metric. It is a strategic advantage rooted in trust, consistency, and relevance. In a world defined by overload and uncertainty, brands that earn their place and communicators who understand how to cultivate that connection are positioned not just to capture attention, but to sustain it.

View all of the interviews in the “PR's Top Pros Talk” series. Interested in taking part? Contact Doug Simon at [email protected].

***

Josh Moed is a Marketing Specialist at D S Simon Media, a leading firm specializing in satellite media tours.