2025 is the year fashion and beauty brands need to pivot, or risk irrelevance. That’s the message I’m getting from the marketing leaders I’ve spoken to over the past year, anyway. Everyone from the likes of Never Fully Dressed, Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, REFY, ELEMIS, Staud and Grown Alchemist are all telling me the same thing…..brands that invest in connection and community and can therefore drive true advocacy (the act of supporting and recommending a brand) will dominate.
That’s because it’s not just about delivering great products anymore, it’s about building relationships that feel real – consumers are shifting their loyalty to brands that understand their values, create a community they can participate in, and empower them to be part of the story. That’s where real advocacy starts.
And the good news? Advocacy isn’t just a feel-good buzzword; it’s a proven growth strategy adopted by the smartest retail brands that are already adapting and prioritising connection and authenticity over short term profit.
Here are five game-changing strategies that will define how retail brands thrive in 2025 from Verity Hurd, co-host of the Building Brand Advocacy Podcast
1. Community-generated content: A trust revolution
The days of ads as trust-builders are over. In 2025, community-generated content (CGC) will cement its position as the cornerstone of brand engagement. Research reveals that consumers trust CGC 2.4 times more than traditional content, and brands that invest in building communities report 32 percent higher engagement rates.
The reason? Consumers don’t want to be sold to, they want to see themselves reflected in the brands they support—real people with genuine experiences. This shift is about more than sales; it’s about aligning values and building emotional connections.
And so smart brands will move away from controlling the narrative towards empowering their communities to share their own stories, creating advocacy that drives growth like never before.
2. The rise of long-form video commerce
Short-form videos may have dominated the last decade, but 2025 marks the resurgence of long-form content. Engagement rates for longer content have risen 19 percent, with platforms like YouTube leaning into richer storytelling formats because consumers want more than flashy snippets; they crave depth and connection. This format offers brands a unique opportunity to forge lasting connections with their audience. In an era where fleeting content often reigns, long-form video gives consumers the chance to understand a brand’s ethos, story, and products on a more profound level. It gives brands the opportunity to create immersive experiences that draw consumers into their world, fostering loyalty that extends beyond a single purchase. For brands, think more binge-worthy documentaries and less ads.
Brands that can successfully craft engaging, authentic, and visually stunning long-form content will build stronger consumer bonds in the long run.
3. Creators as strategic partners
Creators are no longer a “nice to have”; they are an essential part of every successful marketing strategy. Brands aren’t just collaborating with creators—they’re integrating them into every stage of the marketing mix. Why? Creator-driven content delivers 17 times the engagement of owned media, and 94 percent of organisations report better ROI from creator partnerships compared to traditional ads.
This shift signals a new era where creators are viewed as strategic partners, not just spokespeople. Their deep understanding of their audiences make them invaluable assets for driving engagement and sales and by involving creators in product design, storytelling, and promotion, brands can gain access to an unmatched level of relatability.
In 2025, fashion and beauty brands that prioritise these partnerships will enjoy the benefits of authentic advocacy that cannot be bought through traditional means.
4. The influence of TikTok trends and micro-communities
TikTok’s trend culture will still dominate in 2025, but the real power lies in its micro-communities—like BookTok or SkinTok—that turn niche products to viral success stories. These groups have proven they can make or break brands because they are micro-communities that wield enormous influence in specific product categories, driving engagement and advocacy on a massive scale.
Brands need to go deep, not wide and focus on creating content that resonates with these subcultures. Understanding their language, their values, and their passions and then engaging authentically, letting them shape their strategy will be key.
Tapping into micro-communities is not just about going viral—it is about creating sustainable, and scalable advocacy and that results in organic, scalable, and impactful growth that lasts.
5. The shift to private social spaces
The social media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. As public-facing platforms lose their appeal, consumers are gravitating toward private, invite-only spaces that prioritise genuine and meaningful connections. This transition will dominate in 2025, reshaping how brands interact with their audiences.
For brands, this shift presents an opportunity to foster deeper relationships with their most loyal customers. Private spaces allow for honest feedback, exclusive product drops, and genuine dialogue. They make audiences feel like insiders – not just customers – creating a sense of belonging that is difficult to replicate on traditional social media.
Building these private communities requires intention and effort. Brands must balance exclusivity with inclusivity, creating environments that feel safe, authentic, and rewarding. Those that succeed will be rewarded with unmatched consumer loyalty and advocacy.
A 2025 blueprint for fashion and beauty brands
The trends shaping 2025 are a reflection of a deeper cultural shift towards community, and connection and retail brands must evolve to stay relevant. By focusing on community-generated content, investing in long-form video, creating long lasting partnerships with creators, tapping into TikTok micro-communities, and fostering private social spaces, brands can position themselves at the forefront of this transformation.
In a world where consumers are increasingly selective about where they spend their money, the brands that prioritise values, storytelling, and genuine connection will not only drive advocacy and therefore growth—they will lead the way into how successful brands look in the future.
