The Attention Economy: Why Your CPG Brand Needs to Be Smarter, Not Louder
Consumers today are bombarded by a dizzying 6,000 ads per day, but only 0.3% of those are remembered. In this landscape, pure reach no longer guarantees success. To truly win in the attention economy, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands must become more than mere noise; they need to become “living brands” that earn, not demand, focus.
What does that really mean? In a world where consumers spend an average of 13 hours a day with media, often multitasking, brands must reframe their ambitions. The quantity of likes, views, and impressions doesn’t tell the whole story. The real power lies in creating quality attention: focused, intentional moments where your brand earns interest, emotion, and memory.
This article dives into actionable, research-driven ways for CPG brands to become more distinct, deeply relevant, and future-ready.
Attention is a Currency, But Not All Attention Is Equal
While surface-level clicks and fleeting scrolls have been easy to chase, recent research shows that value comes from meaningful engagement. According to McKinsey’s “attention equation,” a 10% increase in quality focus leads to a 17% increase in consumer spending. Meanwhile, “living brands,” those that respond to culture, stand for something genuine, and evolve with their audience, win both loyalty and long-term equity.
Example: KFC’s “Always-ing” Marketing
KFC in Spain faced stronger competitors and tighter budgets but turned attention into brand value. Instead of focusing on volume, they emphasized creativity and real-time engagement. The “Always-ing” strategy abandoned strict marketing schedules in favor of spontaneous, human interactions, sometimes even launching campaigns in response to conversations initiated by fans. One such partnership with a local influencer led to their limited-edition menu selling out, and social buzz surged. KFC’s agility and willingness to listen helped them move from fifth to third place in the Spanish market.
Your Brand Needs a Personality, Not Just a Presence
Today’s audiences expect conversation over campaigns. Brands need a clear, relatable personality; a plain, corporate tone is ignored. In fact, 71% of consumers want a personal connection with the brands they purchase. But personality alone isn’t enough; it must be consistent, genuine, and delivered in real time, adapting to changing contexts and cultural moments.
Example: The Challenger Charm of Oatly
Oatly thrives by speaking with a unique, playful, and honest voice. Its packaging and social media create a “living” experience, one that feels more like a friend than a corporation. This distinct personality builds not just awareness, but community and loyalty.
Authenticity and Emotional Resonance Drive Trust
People know when brands are putting on a show. A full 88% of consumers say authenticity influences their loyalty. Beyond slogans, the brands that foster vulnerability, transparency, and empathy become magnets for attention and trust. Living brands don’t just claim values, they prove them through action.
Example: Patagonia’s Purpose in Action
Patagonia’s environmental mission is evident at every touchpoint, from transparent sourcing to bold campaigns that promote thoughtful consumption. By taking a stand—and standing by it, Patagonia turns its customers into advocates.
From Reach to Real-Time Relationship
Modern consumer engagement isn’t a one-way street. Brands must become attentive listeners and co-creators. Real-time engagement and conversational commerce DMs, chat, and live interaction are setting new standards for brand behavior. Brands that master this see customers spend 20-40% more.
Example: Fenty Beauty’s Inclusive Dialogue
Fenty Beauty turned inclusivity into action, launching with 40 foundation shades and inviting users to shape the future lineup. By sharing user-generated content, responding to feedback, and remaining open, the brand made every customer part of its ongoing narrative.
Packaging: Your First, Fastest Shot at Attention
In crowded aisles and digital shelves, packaging is often a brand’s biggest chance to catch the eye and make a memorable impression. Research shows that 72% of Canadian consumers say product packaging influences their purchasing decisions, sometimes even more than advertising or recommendations. Great packaging isn’t just practical; it acts as a visual handshake, conveying personality, purpose, and value before a word is even read.
Brands like Innocent Drinks have made packaging a key part of their identity. Using playful wording, bold illustrations, and unique bottle shapes, Innocent’s products stand out and spark curiosity even among shoppers unfamiliar with the brand. This approach has worked well: Innocent grew its UK market share in the smoothie category to over 60% within a decade, largely due to its eye-catching shelf presence and memorable “tone of voice” on packaging.
The impact is even stronger in digital commerce, where thumbnails compete for smaller slices of attention. Color, iconography, and tactile cues must cut through quickly. Whether it’s Oatly’s conversational cartons or Method’s vibrant soap bottles, innovative CPG brands prove packaging can be a silent brand ambassador, driving impulse buys, social shares, and long-term loyalty.
Earned Media and Brand Exposure Go Beyond Your Control
Today’s brand stories aren’t just about what you publish; they’re about what gets shared, remixed, and reinterpreted by your audience. Consistency is essential; brands seen as cohesive across platforms can increase revenue by 23%. This goes far beyond visuals: sonic branding, AR, and even personality in virtual spaces are quickly becoming basic requirements.
Example: Liquid Death’s Unmistakable Vibe
Liquid Death didn’t just sell water, they packaged an attitude, sound, and look so distinctive that fans constantly share, meme, and adapt it. The brand embraces improvisation and loss of control because their identity can withstand chaos. This “living brand” approach ensures that, even as the brand message evolves in consumer hands, its core remains unmistakable.
Micro-Influencers and the Power of Relevance
People want recommendations from those they trust. SkinnyPop’s partnership with 30 niche micro-influencers enabled the brand to speak to different communities authentically, creating fresh, relatable content that drove engagement and growth. This targeted, human approach can outperform campaigns with mega-celebrities and broad brushstrokes.
Statistic: 64% of consumers prefer brands that tailor experiences to their unique needs—a micro-influencer approach does exactly that.
Simplicity, Consistency, and the Living Brand Mindset
The future belongs to brands that feel alive, evolving, emotionally intelligent, and purposeful. But in all that agility, simplicity is a competitive advantage. Too much complexity means confusion or dilution. Your brand’s core identity should act as an internal compass, guiding all expressions from packaging to metaverse activations to customer service interactions.
Final Thought
Winning the attention economy is no longer about paying more for exposure or talking louder than the next brand. Success belongs to CPG brands that dare to be “living,” dynamic, participatory, deeply human, and consistent, even as they evolve. In this new world, attention isn’t awarded just for visibility but for meaning, magic, and resonance.