Promiscuous shopping: Why marketing messaging matters

What’s the most promiscuous thing you do?

Oh err… careful how you answer that one!

Let’s keep it clean people. I’m talking about shopping, of course.

Some brands I buy without fail. Others I flit between depending on price, availability, or even mood. Sometimes loyalty is rock solid – like my seven-year subscription to Who Gives a Crap toilet paper (a godsend during lockdown!). Other times, I’m endlessly experimenting – moisturisers, wine, or shampoo.

Are customers treating your brand like a ‘one-night’ stand or a long-term commitment?

Customers are naturally promiscuous unless they’re given robust reasons to remain loyal.

Bit like a relationship really.  If something is missing, the relationship can become shaky and harder work.  If something that sounds ‘better’ comes along.  Well. It can be game over.

So, what does that mean for your business when you’re trying to build loyal customers? And more importantly – what role does marketing messaging play in getting noticed and keeping people coming back?

What is marketing messaging?

At its core, marketing messaging is how your business tells the world who you are, what you do, and why it matters. And why you should ‘stick around’.

It’s more than a slogan or strapline. It’s the thread that runs through your website, social posts, presentations, and conversations. A clear marketing messaging strategy means every touchpoint tells the same story, reinforcing recognition and trust.

Without that consistency, brands blur into the background. And when you don’t stand out, customers are more likely to be tempted away by competitors who speak more clearly to their needs.

Why messaging matters in brand loyalty

When I look at my own shopping habits, the reasons behind loyalty or promiscuity are obvious:

• Consistency: St. Ewe eggs from Cornwall deliver quality, so I stick with them.

• Innovation: Shampoo brands lose my loyalty when they stop doing the job.
  

• Value alignment: I actively choose B Corp or locally produced goods. But do my homework. If they don’t seem true to their values, then it’s goodbye forever. 

• Convenience: Subscriptions like Who Gives a Crap keep me tied in.

• Customer experience: Mercedes has kept me loyal for 20 years with reliability and smooth experience.

Exactly the same dynamics apply in B2B. Once your corporate messaging captures attention, the challenge is to keep showing up with consistency, innovation, and value so you turn one-time buyers into long-term clients. Don’t forget those customers you’ve won over.

When values meet convenience

Take eggs, for example. I’ve been loyal to St. Ewe for over a year because of their quality and I like the boxes and the brand colours, but the deeper reason for spending more on eggs goes back to childhood. I remember visiting a farm and seeing chickens trapped in small cages. That negative and upsetting memory stayed with me, and it’s why I’ve always bought free range.

But I could do better than shop bought eggs. There’s a local farm estate just ten minutes outside Basingstoke that sells eggs too. Less convenient. The extra time and effort mean I’ve never built the habit of buying from them.

This is where effective marketing messages can make the difference. If that egg farmer helped me understand why it matters to make the switch and made it easy – I’d be more likely to change and stick, even if the price was higher.  Messaging can turn good intentions into action.

The B Corp dilemma

Whilst I utilise the B Corp logo as an indicator of brands that may appeal to me, my loyalty to B Corps is currently being tested. Reputation is everything.  One false move and your loyal base can move on to your competitors.

The trouble is I see more and more B Corp logos on supermarket shelves, but often the packaging or the messaging disappoints me. Too much plastic and no refill option, not enough innovation. Words without substance, and not enough action towards change. It feels a bit like a sea of sameness developing in the business for good camp. Sometimes it also feels like brands are treating B Corp as a tick-box for credibility and commercial benefit, not as a real sustainability journey.

For me, being a B Corp must be about more than a logo. It must mean genuine commitment. With the gumption of William Wallace! Charles Redfern, who I interviewed for my book The Sustainable Business, embodies what I think of when I picture a true sustainability champion – passionate, principled, and always raising the bar.

This is where messaging development comes in. Certification alone isn’t enough. Businesses need to share their story, show their progress, and be transparent about the challenges as well as the wins. Otherwise, they risk losing the trust that the B Corp badge was meant to build – losing customers, continually.

When brand appeal meets pre-loved convenience

Another example is fashion. I’ve recently become a fan of Scamp & Dude. My first dress was bought direct for a string of occasions – an awards evening, a wedding, and a graduation ceremony. The second was pre-loved from Vinted. The third (yes I’m hooked) was brand new from Vinted.

What draws me to Scamp & Dude is more than style. Their clothing is well-made and distinctive, but it’s the story that resonates. The bold red streak – the superhero button – symbolises female strength, courage, and empowerment.

That idea fits seamlessly into daily life. Everyone has moments when they need an extra bolt of confidence. Wearing a brand that embodies that feeling makes you want to put on your superhero bolt – not just because it looks good, but because it makes you feel good.

That’s marketing messaging done right. It turns clothing into identity, values, and belonging. Which is why I’m proud to buy from Scamp & Dude, whether it’s brand new or pre-loved.