Here's what most brands get wrong about loyalty.

They think it's transactional. Buy ten, get one free. Spend £500, unlock a discount. Accumulate points, redeem rewards.

And sure, that drives repeat purchases. For a while. Until a competitor offers a better deal, and your "loyal" customers disappear overnight.

Real loyalty isn't about incentives. It's about identity.

It's the feeling that this brand is for people like me. That being part of this community says something about who I am. That I'd recommend it even if there's no reward for doing so.

And the brands that crack this, the ones that build real belonging, they don't need to discount. Because their customers aren't shopping on price. They're buying into something bigger.

The Pub Culture of Loyalty in the UK

Let's talk about the UK first, because there's a specific cultural behaviour that shapes how loyalty works here.

The pub.

Not just as a place to drink, but as a social anchor. Your local. The place where everyone knows your name. Where you have your regular seat, your usual order, your familiar faces.

This is community built on ritual and consistency.

People don't go to the same pub because it's objectively the best. They go because it's theirs. Because showing up there means something. Because the bartender remembers their drink. Because their mates will be there.

Brands that succeed in the UK understand this instinct. They create spaces, physical or digital, where people feel like regulars. Where there's a sense of "us" that exists beyond the transaction.

Look at brands like Brewdog, Soho House, or even Pret's coffee subscription. They've built loyalty by creating a sense of membership. You're not just a customer. You're part of the club.

The loyalty isn't in the product. It's in the identity it gives you.

The Majlis Culture of Loyalty in the UAE

Now let's talk about the UAE, where loyalty operates through a completely different lens.

The majlis.

Traditionally, it's a gathering space. A place of hospitality, conversation, and connection. And whilst the modern UAE is global and fast-paced, that cultural instinct around hospitality and relationship still drives behaviour.

Loyalty here is built on being taken care of.

It's not just about consistency. It's about feeling valued. Recognised. Treated like you matter. Gulf customers expect a level of attention and service that goes beyond efficiency. They want to feel like the brand knows them, remembers them, and anticipates their needs.

This is why concierge services, personalised experiences, and VIP treatment work so well in this market. It's not about exclusivity for the sake of it. It's about the brand demonstrating that you're not just another transaction.

Brands like Emirates, Armani, and the luxury hotel groups understand this instinctively. They don't just serve you. They host you. And that hospitality creates loyalty that lasts.

Why Points Programmes Fail Both Markets

Here's the uncomfortable truth about traditional loyalty programmes.

They work for a while. They give you data. They encourage repeat purchases. But they don't create emotional attachment.

Because no one brags about their Tesco Clubcard points. No one feels proud to be part of a rewards scheme. It's transactional. You do this, you get that. There's no identity in it.

The brands people actually love, the ones they'll defend in conversation and recommend without being asked, they've built something deeper.

They've created a sense of belonging. A community. A feeling that being associated with this brand says something about who you are and what you value.

And you can't build that with discounts.

What Brand Belonging Actually Looks Like

At DARB, we don't help brands build loyalty programmes. We help them build belonging.

That means creating spaces, experiences, and touchpoints where customers feel like they're part of something, not just buying from something.

Here's how we do it, depending on the market.

In the UK, we lean into ritual and consistency. We help brands create regular moments of connection. Monthly events. Insider content. A Slack or Discord community where customers can talk to each other, not just to the brand.

We make sure the brand shows up predictably, authentically, and in a way that makes people feel like regulars, even if they've never met anyone from the company in person.

In the UAE, we lean into recognition and personalisation. We help brands use data to remember preferences, acknowledge milestones, and treat returning customers like VIPs.

We build experiences that feel hosted, not automated. Where the customer feels seen, valued, and cared for in a way that goes beyond the transaction.

And globally, we focus on shared values. We help brands articulate what they stand for, then create communities around those values. Because people don't just buy products. They align with beliefs.

The Role of Content in Building Belonging

Here's something most brands underestimate: content is community.

The brands with the most loyal followings aren't the ones with the slickest ads. They're the ones creating content that their audience wants to be part of.

Patagonia doesn't just sell outdoor gear. They create content around environmentalism, activism, and adventure. Their customers don't just buy jackets. They see themselves as part of a movement.

Glossier didn't build a beauty empire through traditional advertising. They built it by making their customers feel like insiders. Early access. Behind-the-scenes content. A brand that felt like it belonged to them, not to a corporation.

Content is how you signal who your brand is for. And when people see themselves in that content, they stay.

This is where tone of voice, storytelling, and consistency all come together. It's not enough to post regularly. You have to post in a way that makes people feel like they're part of something.

How This Plays Out in Practice

We worked with a UAE-based wellness brand that was struggling with retention. They had great products. Good reviews. But customers would buy once and disappear.

The problem wasn't the product. It was the lack of connection.

So we built a community strategy around the idea of "your wellness circle." We created a private online space where customers could share progress, ask questions, and connect with others on the same journey.

We introduced monthly virtual majlis sessions, hosted discussions with experts, wellness challenges with recognition for participants.

Within six months, repeat purchase rates doubled. Not because we offered discounts. Because people felt like they were part of something. They had a reason to stay beyond the product itself.

In the UK, we worked with a heritage brand trying to appeal to a younger audience without alienating their core customers. The challenge was building loyalty with a generation that's notoriously fickle.

We didn't try to reinvent the brand. We leaned into what made it special, the craftsmanship, the story, the longevity, and created content that made those values feel relevant.

We launched a "makers" series, profiling the people behind the products. We opened up their archive and let customers vote on which designs to bring back. We created a Discord where customers could talk about style, quality, and sustainability.

The result? A younger audience that didn't just buy. They became advocates. Because they felt like the brand was theirs to shape, not just consume.

The Belonging Checklist

If you want to build real loyalty, here's what to focus on.

Make people feel recognised. Use their name. Remember their preferences. Acknowledge when they come back.

Create shared rituals. Regular content. Consistent events. Moments people can anticipate and plan around.

Give them a voice. Let them shape the brand. Ask for feedback. Feature their stories. Make them part of the narrative.

Stand for something. Values matter. People align with brands that reflect what they believe in.

Build spaces for connection. Whether it's a Discord, a members' lounge, or a monthly gathering, give people a place to belong.

How This Plays Out in Practice

Look at Patagonia. They built loyalty not through discounts, but through shared values. Their customers don't just buy jackets, they see themselves as environmentalists. Patagonia created content around activism, conservation, and responsible consumption. The result? A community that defends the brand in conversations and recommends it without incentive.

Or take Glossier. They didn't build a beauty empire through traditional advertising. They made customers feel like insiders. Early access. Behind-the-scenes content. A brand that felt like it belonged to the community, not to a corporation. Customers became advocates because they felt ownership, not just satisfaction.

In the UAE, look at The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill. They've built fierce loyalty not through a points programme, but through consistent hospitality. Regulars are recognised. Preferences are remembered. The experience feels hosted, not automated. That recognition creates loyalty that discounts never could.

The DARB Edge

We don't just build brands. We build communities around them.

Whether you're in London, Dubai, or operating globally, we help you create the kind of loyalty that doesn't depend on discounts or incentives. The kind that's built on identity, belonging, and connection.

Because in a world where every brand is fighting for attention, the ones that win are the ones people actually want to be part of.

Ready to turn customers into community? Let's build something people actually belong to. Get in touch with DARB.