Many brands have tried to engineer connection and community. But few have achieved it in any meaningful way, instead chasing visibility at all costs. There’s been intense cultural backlash to this logic, with increasing cynicism around the ideas of community, connection and the broken promise of social media—all with good reason.

But where there is cultural discontent, there is opportunity. And with the rise in new web3 technology, a refreshed cultural focus on the power of community as spurred by the isolation of the pandemic, and evolving ideas around democratized ownership, we see a new day coming for brands and people. We’re calling it now: it’s the end of community-washing.

Our newest Substack post in our Emergent Brands series is all about how true community and depth of engagement are transforming brands (from DAOs to Nike and Starbucks) in this era of web3 and social discontent.

Learn what Emergent Brands are doing to forge community and connection that works two ways.