STAY FAMOUS. STAY WANTED.

Once upon a dial-up time, being famous meant you’d made it. You got the jingle. You got the prime-time slot. You got lodged in people’s brains like a crisp advert from 1997.

And that was enough.

Fast forward to the chaos economy of today’s FMCG aisle. Fame isn’t a given – it’s a graft. Most brands are still chasing it. But the real challenge? Staying wanted.

Because you’re not just jostling for space with the brand next door anymore. On the shelf, you’re one of dozens. In culture, you’re up against TikTok’s latest sauce hack and whatever Ryan Reynolds is monologuing about this week.

So yes, people know you. But do they want you?

You’re in the cupboard but not on the menu. So, let’s unpack how we got here – and how to cart-jack your way back into hearts, hands and households.

THE AWARENESS TRAP 

Just because they’ve heard of you doesn’t mean they care.

There was a time when being top of mind was a marketer’s favourite party trick. “We’ve got 98% unaided recall,” they’d say, while high-fiving their Nielsen printout.

But not all recall is created equal. Just because they remember you doesn’t mean they want you.

It’s the difference between being at every party… and actually getting invited to the afters.

Most brands stumble at the second hurdle of the funnel. It usually goes awareness,  consideration, then … crickets.

MarketingIQ confirms it – consumers are aware, they’re just not bothered. This is awareness-as-noise. It’s shouting into the void and mistaking the echo for applause.

Meanwhile, the shoppers? They’re slipping out the fire escape with someone new. Someone shiny. Someone who isn’t stuck in 2013.

And spoiler alert, it’s not personal. It’s your irrelevance.

FAMILIARITY FATIGUE  

Seen it. Bought it. Bored of it. 

There’s a difference between being a beloved brand icon and that dusty thing people used to like. If your identity hasn’t had a glow-up since broadband was a flex … congratulations, you’re now invisible in HD.

You see, younger audiences aren’t falling for brand loyalty anymore. They treat it like printer ink – overpriced, unavoidable, and something to complain about.

Meanwhile, challenger brands are barging in with nothing but memes, mission and main character energy. They’re fresher. Faster. They talk like people. And they’re rewiring consumer brains in real time.

LOYALTY HAS COMMITMENT ISSUES 

Trial is the new monogamy.

Loyalty hasn’t disappeared. It just takes more to earn – and even more to keep.

Today’s shopper is in a constant state of supermarket speed dating. One week it’s “That’s on offer”. The next it’s “I saw it on TikTok”. By Friday they’re choosing oat milk because it matched their outfit.

According to Kantar’s Brand Footprint, the FMCG brands that are growing aren’t milking loyalty – they’re minting new customers. 88% of growth came from bringing in fresh buyers, not flogging to old ones harder.

In short?

Penetration > frequency.

Trial > habit.

And your loyal buyers? They’re ghosting you between shops. So, you’re not just up against competitors – you’re up against a vibe shift.

THE COST OF COASTING

Fame without affection is just expensive background noise.

Being famous-but-unloved is a quiet kind of danger. Awareness stays high, but affection fades. Promo costs rise. Distribution partners lose interest. New launches underperform.

And internally, belief starts to wane.

Meanwhile, some perky upstart with a £12 budget and a TikTok habit is nibbling your market share like it’s free samples at Costco.

And here’s where it hurts. Nielsen says 90% of purchase intent comes from unaided brand recall.
But not just any recall –  the fluent kind. The kind that sticks. That feels second nature.

That’s not fame. That’s fluency. And fluency beats noise. Every. Single. Time.

WHAT RELEVANCE REALLY MEANS 

Relevance isn’t about volume. It’s about voltage.

To win, you don’t need to shout louder. You need to resonate deeper. Culturally. Emotionally. Actually.

The brands still flying know how to evolve without binning their soul. They modernise their tone without losing their codes. They update their look without doing a full identity midlife crisis.

Think Heinz – still king of the condiment castle because they know ketchup isn’t just a product, it’s a comfort blanket. Or Lurpak, still buttering us up with sheer culinary theatre. Or Warburtons, the bakery boss with 84% household penetration and enough confidence to cast actual Muppets in their ads.

The lesson? Stay emotionally useful. Stay culturally fluent.

Not just recognisable. Relatable. 

THE MORAL OF THE SHELF?   

Be the brand they feel something for.

Here’s your mic-drop moment – fame is easy. Affection is hard.

If you want to stay in the trolley, not just on the shelf, here’s your to-do list:

• Earn attention. Don’t expect it.
• Reignite your emotional edge.
• Show up in culture, not just campaigns.

Because in a world of attention-deficit everything, the brands that thrive won’t just be the ones people recognise.

They’ll be the ones people remember on purpose.

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Still relying on fame to do the heavy lifting? Let’s have a proper chat to see how we can help build you a brand people actually give a monkey’s about. Contact us on our website today.