From Showing Off to Showing Up: Why brands and consumers are shifting toward meaningful experiences

A quiet but powerful shift is happening - and it’s changing the way we consume, how we perceive value, and what truly builds customer loyalty.

For years, we were conditioned to associate success and prestige with everything big, flashy, and visually extravagant. But a new generation of consumers — especially those investing in wellness, hospitality, gastronomy, and lifestyle — is choosing a different path. They no longer want to be impressed. They want to be moved.

And that changes everything.

What do consumers really want today?

Recent studies on consumer behavior reveal a clear shift:

• 82% of premium consumers say they’d rather spend on authentic experiences than on high-end material goods.

• The value placed on time, presence, and personalization is growing steadily—even in traditionally conservative markets.

• What’s more, today’s high-income consumer is looking for brands with purpose, aesthetic sensitivity, and genuine human connection.

  
  

It’s no longer about showing off. It’s about feeling like that experience was made for me.

Whether it’s a boutique hotel, a neighborhood restaurant, or a design brand - what builds loyalty isn’t excess. It’s the intention behind the details.

How are major brands adapting?

Those keeping an eye on the market have already noticed: the world’s most iconic brands are redefining their value codes.

• Chanel redesigned its retail spaces to feel more like intimate, quiet, and personalized boutiques — rather than temples of consumption.

• Aesop invests in sensory design, unique architectural identities for each store, and usage rituals that turn simple products into memorable experiences.

• Aman Resorts delivers emotional luxury, not material — offering silence, privacy, architectural curation, and nearly invisible service.

What do these brands have in common?

They all understand that the new competitive edge lies in creating experiences with identity, sophistication, and authenticity.

A window of opportunity for smaller brands:

True beauty lives in intention - not in excess.

You don’t need to be a global brand to put this into practice. In fact, small businesses have a powerful competitive edge: closeness to the customer and creative freedom.

Think of this:

• A restaurant that changes its menu with the seasons and shares the story behind every ingredient.

• A guesthouse where each room tells its own unique story.

• A café that chooses its music, furniture, and scent with the same care it puts into making the perfect espresso.

  
  

That’s the kind of experience that builds loyalty. Because it carries presence. And purpose.

What sets unforgettable brands apart today?

It’s not about scale. It’s about experiences that make sense.

And that’s where sensory design and strategic hospitality come in — no longer just “beautiful details,” but essential layers of positioning, branding, and real connection.

In my consultancy, I combine architecture, lighting, brand storytelling, and the creation of rituals to turn spaces and services into experiences that create real value - not just perceived value.

I work with hotels, wineries, restaurants, corporate spaces, small businesses, and independent brands that want to stand out with consistency, beauty, and authenticity. Because today, more than ever, growth comes to those who move people without overdoing it. To those who captivate with intelligence. And to those who offer something that can’t be copied: feeling.

Aqui está a tradução com um tom acolhedor, profissional e fluido:

If you feel it’s time for your brand to grow with more intention, this is your moment.

Write to me at: experience@laenecarvalho.com

Let’s talk about how to turn your presence into something memorable, exclusive, and strategically positioned. Because true experience isn’t a trend. It’s what stays — long after everything else fades.