Can We Still Foster Real Community?
Can We Still Foster Real Community?
with Rosa Park, Paulina Melinauskaite and Estelle Lubino
By HURS team
What is even is a community? And how do we connect? While ‘communing’ has been a part of the human experience for centuries, it seems we’re becoming increasingly disconnected from interacting with others. Talking about community is hard and doesn’t come naturally. It’s something that exists, but that’s often hard to define. The growing usage of the word in today’s vocabulary – in personal and business settings – has made it that much more loaded. Making us all question, what does it really mean?
As we’re becoming increasingly disconnected in our personal lives, brands are more than happy to be the solution. Loyalty and connection equals dollars, making community a lucrative business for industries that are continuously looking for growth. As brands try to build deeper relationships with consumers, many are exploring how they can craft spaces that foster connection. Creating club houses that connect to local clientele, and offer an experience beyond simply product. But the brands who enter ‘the community space’ with this mindset forget that community is about authenticity, shared beliefs and feeling valued. Something that is impossible to do if the initial intention is mere commerce. Those who have put community first from the start have the ability to craft experiences that transcend the brand itself. Creating a platform for like-minded individuals to have meaningful conversations and build long lasting relationships through their mutual love for the brand’s aesthetics, values and products.
We asked those who are doing it well how they create physical spaces that foster connection, and why community matters.