Sydney and Auckland: EMBARGED May 27, 2026 – In an increasingly unpredictable world, people are actively creating stability through rituals, and brands can play a meaningful but carefully defined role within them, according to new research from The Research Agency (TRA).
For Rituals: Owned by people, earned by brands, TRA surveyed 2,000 nationally representative Australians and New Zealanders in partnership with Dynata, following in-depth qualitative fieldwork. The study explored rituals as they are lived: how they are experienced personally, what feels wrong when they are disrupted, and the shared social meaning that shapes them.
TRA uncovered a widespread behavioural shift as people respond to rising financial pressure, evolving work patterns and ongoing social change. While rituals cannot resolve the pressures of a changing world, they act as “personal infrastructure” and offer a sense of control, comfort and connection. Whether they’re small everyday moments such as a morning run, or larger, deeply anticipated events such as birthday celebrations, rituals help people regulate emotions, reinforce identity, mark transition, maintain connection and create continuity in a shifting world.
Sophia Blair, Qualitative Practice Director, TRA, said: “Marketers are always looking for moments where their brand can be present, but not all are equal. Rituals are moments that are heavily loaded with meaning and emotion that add value to people’s lives. That makes them important for marketers.”
Far from niche, rituals are now embedded in mainstream behaviour. TRA’s research found that 77% of Australians and 80% of New Zealanders have established personal rituals, with more than half of Australians saying they are becoming increasingly important. This trend is particularly evident among 25–34-year-olds, who are more consciously creating and protecting rituals.
For CMOs and brand marketers, there are significant implications. People are not moving through “empty” moments, passively waiting to receive messages from brands. Instead, brands are entering spaces that already hold personal meaning and emotional weight for their customers.
Colleen Ryan, Partner, TRA, said “Importantly, rituals gain power through repetition. Over time, they become memory, identity, and something people return to without thinking about it. For a brand to become part of that, it needs to show up in ways that are recognisable and reliable, not just present for one moment and gone the next.”
Ryan continued: “Rituals are where brands can move from being noticed to becoming genuinely useful. When marketers understand the emotional and functional role ritual moments play, they can design experiences that add real value rather than noise. The opportunity isn’t to interrupt but to integrate in ways that feel intuitive, consistent and valuable in people’s everyday lives.”
This shift demands a fundamental rethink of brand engagement strategies. TRA’s research shows that while there is openness to brand participation, permission is conditional. In Australia, 59% of people are receptive to brands that show up consistently, while just over half are open to brands that make these moments easier (53%) or help personalise a ritual (55%). In New Zealand, around half of people welcome brands that personalise their experience (51%) or simply show up consistently (49%). However, intrusive or overly engineered brand involvement is quickly rejected.
Blair adds: “The research shows that permission for brands is conditional. Success lies in understanding what the ritual is already doing for people, then aligning with that role rather than trying to redefine it.”
Importantly, brands that integrate seamlessly by enhancing convenience, adding value or reinforcing meaning can build lasting relevance through repetition and familiarity.
For Ryan, “That marks a shift from big, one-off moments to sustained and relevant engagement that strengthens both customer connection and commercial return.”
Subtle market differences also emerge from TRA’s findings. Australian consumers show stronger momentum in increasing the importance of rituals and greater openness to brand involvement, while New Zealanders place a higher emphasis on shared experiences and connection, particularly in weekly rituals.
Ryan concluded: “For marketers, the key takeaway is consistency of storytelling now outweighs novelty, and context matters more than ever. Building brand equity in today’s world requires a long-term commitment to showing up in ways that are recognisable, reliable and respectful of the role these moments play in their customers’ lives.
“As people continue to construct their own stability, rituals are becoming a powerful lens to understand behaviour and a critical opportunity for brands willing to earn their place within them.”
The full report, including guidance for brands, is available here: https://www.theresearchagency.com/rituals.
