How Herd Mentality Can Give Your Brand an Edge

originally featured on frostcreative.co.uk

For businesses today, simply being seen isn’t enough. Brands need reinforcement, not just awareness, because people don’t just buy products, they follow behaviours.

A recent discussion we had with Rory Sutherland and Herdify highlighted something we’ve always believed at Frost. Brand adoption is driven by social influence. The more people see a brand being used and talked about within their circles, the more likely they are to engage with it.

So, how can your brand leverage herd mentality to build real engagement and drive loyalty? Here’s what we unearthed and how we apply these insights to our work.

Brand Adoption Needs Reinforcement, Not Just Awareness

Many brands focus on visibility, but the real challenge is getting people to engage. Awareness gets you on the radar, but reinforcement turns passive interest into action.

People are far more likely to trust and follow a brand when they see others around them doing the same. It’s why we choose a restaurant that looks busy over an empty one, or why a book suddenly becomes a “must-read” when everyone on social media is talking about it.

How Frost Helps:
We craft brand strategies that go beyond just “getting noticed.” Through strategic messaging, brand identity, and campaign execution, we help brands build traction and trust in the right places, at the right time.

Data-Driven Creativity Wins

A great example of behavioural targeting in action is Who Gives a Crap, the eco-friendly toilet paper brand. Instead of running a generic ad campaign, they used location-specific data to create personalised billboards—like:

“1058 bums in Putney use our toilet roll.”

This hyper-local, playful approach made the brand feel personal, relatable, and relevant, reinforcing its presence in specific areas where demand already existed.

How Frost Helps:
We take insights and translate them into powerful creative campaigns—ensuring brands don’t just follow the data but use it to craft engaging, story-driven messaging that makes a real impact.

Growth Comes from the Fringes, Not the Averages

Most brands aim for the “average customer”, but true growth happens at the edges.

A great example from the discussion was a car brand that found pockets of high loyalty in unexpected areas—including places where they hadn’t had dealerships for over a decade. This proved that brand memory lasts longer than physical presence when built correctly.

How Frost Helps:
We identify and activate these high-value audience segments, ensuring your brand engages with the right people, in the right places, with the right message.

Brand Loyalty is Hard Won, But Worth It

The hardest customers to win over are often the most loyal.

A fascinating takeaway from the session was how the more times someone hears about a brand, the more likely they are to commit. This means brands need multiple, strategic touchpoints—from brand storytelling and social proof to digital engagement and experiential marketing.

How Frost Helps:
We create consistent, compelling brand narratives that don’t just attract customers—they retain them.

Fame is a Compounding Asset

Brand awareness isn’t a one-and-done effort—it’s a long-term investment.

Like a snowball rolling downhill, fame builds upon itself. If your brand isn’t consistently reinforcing its presence, it’s not just standing still—it’s shrinking.

How Frost Helps:
We develop sustainable brand-building strategies that keep you top-of-mind, relevant, and growing—not just today, but for years to come.

Final Thoughts

At Frost, we specialise in helping brands find their voice, create impact, and build lasting influence. Whether it’s through brand strategy, creative campaigns, or customer engagement, we ensure your brand isn’t just another name in the market—it’s the one people naturally follow.

Want to see how we can make your brand a leader in its space? Let’s chat.

Get in touch with us today