When we buy into a product brand, we buy membership in a story. One of the strongest emotional glues in human behavior is belonging. We invest in brands that connect us: to others, to identity, to a shared sense of care. That’s why a simple visual insignia, a recurring ritual, or even a quietly repeated phrase can hold more power than a loyalty program. Subtle cues suggesting “others like you also use this” trigger micro-belonging: a small but potent reminder that the customer is part of...