For the first time, ‘true loyalty’ is in decline in Australia, according to the fifth annual ‘Customer Loyalty Index’ (CLI) from SAP Emarsys. In its place, a new phenomenon is emerging: ‘Trend Loyalty’ – an emotionally charged, fast-moving allegiance driven by viral moments rather than long-term trust:

• 14% are more likely to trust a product if it goes viral
• 13% trust TikTok and social media trends more than ads or brand websites
• 16% have bought products promoted by influencers
• 51% say they’re loyal to products, not brands.

This is particularly true of younger generations: 36% of Gen Z shoppers admit to buying a product purely because it was trending on social media – almost double the rate of the general population. The same proportion say they’re loyal to brands that trend, while 26% will be less loyal if a trending product disappoints.

“Trend Loyalty is simultaneously a risk and an opportunity for brands,” said Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys. “It’s driven by hype, not history. If marketers want to turn the emotional rush of a trending moment into something more meaningful and lasting, they need to move fast – and understand each customer on a personal level. What sparked their interest? What emotional need did the trend tap into?

“AI-powered personalisation at scale is key. It empowers brands to respond with relevance and speed, transforming one-off moments into repeat engagement and long-term loyalty.”

Loyalty is changing, not dying

Trend Loyalty represents a powerful opportunity for brands that understand their customers in real-time. In a world shaped by shifting values and fast-moving trends, success depends on connected data and real-time personalisation.

PUMA’s Loyalty Story

Cult classic, sportswear brand, PUMA is already putting this strategy into action. Behind the scenes, the brand leverages AI and automation against its rich vertical first-party data, SAP Emarsys allows brands to generate greater insights into consumer behaviours, create more consistent, personalised journeys, and deliver them across all our consumers’ different touchpoints, whether online or offline, within one single platform.

Expanding the loyalty conversation: B2B buyers join the spotlight

Alongside the CLI, SAP Emarsys has launched the first-ever ‘B2B Buyer Loyalty Index’ (BLI): a new study exploring how business buyers form loyalty and make decisions. Together, the CLI and BLI offer a comprehensive view of how loyalty is evolving across both consumer and enterprise audiences.

“Loyalty means giving customers a reason to repeat, expand and refer,” said Fred Reichheld, Bain Fellow, and creator of the Net Promoter Score.

“Every interaction – whether with your brand, your people, or your systems – should deliver value that customers and partners would genuinely miss if it disappeared.”

Forward-thinking brands are embedding loyalty into the core of their business, using AI to personalise at scale, connecting engagement with operational systems to deliver unified experiences.

Download the full CLI 2025 report here and explore the BLI 2025 report here to learn how loyalty is evolving in the age of influence.