At Curious Nation, we see it play out all the time: the brands that play it safe, fade. The ones that dare to stand out — and actually connect with their audience — win hearts, minds, and market share.

There’s one cost no brand can afford: the cost of being dull. This truth isn’t new, but it’s gaining sharper relevance in an era where sameness dominates the customer journey. Surprise and delight aren’t just nice-to-haves — they’re a strategic advantage. Miss the opportunity to create a moment, and you may be missing the chance to build long-term brand equity.

The customer journey is full of expected touchpoints — so when a brand breaks the pattern with something genuinely unexpected, it cuts through. Personalised, thoughtful moments of surprise not only create emotional connection, they drive talkability and, more importantly, memory.

Experience drives equity

According to Kantar, only 25% of a brand’s equity comes from comms like paid media. The other 75%? It’s built through experience — how people interact with your products, services, and brand touchpoints.

Too many brands focus on what they’re saying, and not enough on what they’re making people feel. If your brand experience is forgettable, you’re not just missing potential — you’re leaking value. Dullness doesn’t just mean silence; it often leads to disengagement, lower loyalty, and reduced lifetime customer value.

That’s where surprise and delight become essential — because they’re what people remember. And at Curious Nation, helping brands engineer those moments is right in our wheelhouse.

Why surprise and delight works

Modern consumers don’t just want a product or service — they want something that resonates emotionally. They want to feel something. That’s why these moments work so well. They speak to something human.

And when they’re personalised? Even better. When a brand nails that perfect small gesture or unexpected activation, it shows real understanding. It creates a deeper sense of connection — and earns loyalty that money can’t buy.

One brilliant example is Monzo’s ‘ATMmm’ pop-up with Greggs. Born out of data showing that millions of customers were buying Greggs using Monzo, the brand teamed up with the high street giant to create a pop-up ATM that dispensed free sausage rolls (vegan included, of course). A playful, unexpected idea that turned a moment into a movement — and reinforced brand love in the process.

Experiences build brands – not just ads

It’s easy to assume brand fame comes from big ad budgets. But the most powerful brands today are built on exceptional experiences — the ones people talk about, share, and remember.

Take Disney. They don’t just operate theme parks — they create magic in every interaction. Even the soap dispensers in Tokyo Disneyland offer a surprise: Mickey Mouse-shaped foam. These moments aren’t just charming. They’re strategic. They transform the mundane into something truly memorable.

And if Disney can add joy to a soap dispenser, what’s stopping everyday brands from doing the same? The opportunity isn’t limited to premium players — in fact, challenger brands are often more effective at using surprise to differentiate. They can’t outspend the giants, but they can absolutely outsmart them.

Consistency first. Then, surprise.

There’s a balance, of course. You can’t build surprise and delight on a shaky foundation. Get the basics right first — product, service, reliability — and then layer in the magic. A great customer experience is the starting point; surprise is the amplifier.

Or as we like to say: you need a great sausage before you add the sizzle.

When done right, surprise and delight moments feel like an extension of the brand — not a gimmick. They reinforce your values, not distract from them.

The real cost of playing it safe

In a world where attention is a currency, playing it safe is expensive. It leaves you invisible. It lets other brands — braver, bolder ones — take your place in the minds and feeds of your audience.

So here’s our challenge to you: don’t settle for ordinary. Be the brand that breaks the scroll, starts the story, sparks the emotion. Set aside some space (and some budget) to get closer to your customers through experiences they never saw coming.

Because in today’s landscape, the brands that surprise and delight aren’t just remembered — they’re loved.

And the ones that don’t? Well, they’re just background noise. And that’s a price no brand can afford to pay.