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You’re standing in line at Starbucks, scrolling through your phone, half-distracted. You place your order, “one oat flat white, please,” and the barista smiles, asks your name, and scribbles it on the side of a cup.
You think nothing of it until they call out, “Nemo?”
You pause. That’s probably you. They meant “Neema.” You laugh, grab your drink, and walk out smiling.
That small moment started as one simple idea. It became a ritual.
And today, it’s one of the most subtle, brilliant examples of customer-driven marketing at scale.
In 2012, Starbucks adopted a new standard across its stores: baristas began wearing name-tags and asking for customers’ names to write on their cups.
The move was part of their “first-name basis” initiative (the phrase appears in an internal archive).
The idea was simple: refocus from speed or scale back to individual recognition to turn a faceless transaction into a moment of belonging.
Over time, that gesture became one of the most recognisable elements of the Starbucks experience, and even the misspellings started to feel human.
The Science Behind Rituals
What Starbucks tapped into here is something behavioural scientists call ritualised engagement.
It’s not the act itself that matters, but the meaning people attach to it.
By introducing this ritual, Starbucks created an emotional anchor. A pause in the daily rush and a reminder that you’re seen.
Plus, the slip-ups make it real.
Here are a few more examples of imperfect moments that built deeper loyalty:
Ryanair’s blunt tweets often get people talking, even when they push boundaries.
Duolingo’s push notifications can feel dramatic or guilt-inducing (“It’s time to learn Spanish, you slacker!”), but that playfulness makes people love the app even more.
These moments work because they’re unmistakably human. And when brands show humanity, people notice.
YOUR HOMEWORK ✍️
Before you start creating rituals for your own brand, take a moment to notice the ones that already shape your daily life.
For the next 24 hours, pay attention to the brands you interact with: your morning coffee, your favourite app, even your inbox.
Ask yourself:
What small moments do I look forward to, even if I don’t realise it?
How do these tiny moments make me feel: recognised, comforted, energised?
Write down three brand rituals you notice this week.
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What It Teaches Us About Brand Rituals
Rituals are powerful because they build meaning through repetition. They are emotional touchpoints that help customers feel grounded and connected.
When you unwrap a KitKat, you instinctively snap it in half before taking a bite.
When December rolls around, Spotify Wrapped reminds you of the music that shaped your year.
These rituals are carefully designed to turn routine interactions into moments of recognition. Over time, these moments become habits, and habits build loyalty.
If you want to create stronger customer relationships, focus less on grand gestures and more on repeatable actions that make people feel seen.
Where to Add Rituals in Your Brand Experience
Before you start designing a ritual, take a moment to map your customer journey.
Every brand has natural points of contact that can become moments of meaning.
The key is to find the spots where emotion already exists, such as curiosity, excitement, or uncertainty, and amplify them.
Here are a few places to look:
The First Touchpoint: The first interaction someone has with your brand. This could be a welcome email, a thank-you page, or even an intro call. Ask yourself, “How can I make this feel personal instead of procedural?”
Moments of Transition: These are moments where a customer is shifting from one stage to another. From browsing to buying, from joining to engaging, from finishing to renewing. Rituals here help people feel guided and supported.
Milestones or Achievements: Celebrate progress. Whether it’s a student completing a lesson, a client reaching a goal, or a customer’s one-year anniversary, small recognition rituals reinforce loyalty.
You don’t need to add rituals everywhere. Start with one. Choose a moment that already carries emotion and make it intentional.
Creating Rituals in Your Onboarding
In The Customer-Driven Marketing Handbook, I explore how rituals help brands build emotional connection and trust from the very first interaction.
Your onboarding process, whether it’s welcoming a new client, student, or customer, is the perfect place to start. It’s often the first moment when someone decides if they feel seen and valued by your brand.
A ritual doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to be repeatable, thoughtful, and human.
Think about how you could:
Send a short welcome video or voice note instead of a generic email.
Create a small “first-week challenge” or reflection prompt to help new clients feel guided.
Add a personalised touchpoint, like a handwritten note, checklist, or message from your team.
YOUR HOMEWORK ✍️
This week, identify one simple ritual you could introduce in your onboarding. Make it easy enough to repeat and personal enough to make someone smile.
Rituals are what make your brand feel human. They turn moments into memories, and customers into communities.
Whether it’s a warm welcome, a small celebration, or a personal check-in, these simple acts remind people that behind your brand, there’s a person who cares.
Start small. Choose one point in your customer journey and design a ritual that adds meaning, not noise. Repeat it until it becomes part of your brand identity.
If you want to go deeper into how rituals, habits, and emotions drive brand loyalty, you’ll love The Customer-Driven Marketing Handbook. It’s your field guide to making strategy more human, and it’s available now for pre-order at customerdriven.marketing.
Make your marketing feel like something people want to be part of.
Always cheering you on,
Fab ✌️
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