Retailers have a blindspot that doesn’t show up in their sales or loyalty #data
By Mikeblack · April 28, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Retailers have a blindspot that doesn’t show up in their sales or loyalty #data.
A cultural resonance blindspot.
Some retailers (like #Walmart, #Amazon, #Costco) are exceptionally good at showing they “get” consumers in ways that feel almost hyper-specific.
The assortment feels right.
The digital experience feels intuitive.
The marketing actually connects.
Even the people in-store feel like a reflection of the customer.
Consumers don’t just shop there. They feel seen.
And here’s what’s remarkable about the retailers with the highest cultural resonance:
#1. Their relevance travels.
They resonate across demographic and generational lines … #Hispanic and White consumers, Boomers and #Gen Z.
Not because they take a one-size-fits-all approach.
But because they are DEEPLY SPECIFIC in how they show up, and they execute that specificity authentically, across touchpoints.
#2. Many don’t realize they’re winning.
Cultural resonance isn’t something most retailers are actively measuring, so leaders often don’t know they’re ahead.
At the same time, those falling behind (#Kroger, #WholeFoods) don’t realize how much ground they’re losing.
#3. Even the leaders don’t fully know WHY they’re winning.
They see the results.
But they often lack the diagnostic clarity to pinpoint:
⚫️ which signals are driving connection
⚫️ where they’re underperforming
⚫️ how to fine-tune messaging for different audiences
⚫️ which brand partnerships could amplify their relevance
That’s not a failure on them.
Until recently, cultural relevance wasn’t measurable.
But it is now.
And it matters, because cultural fluency is highly predictive of favorability and purchase intent.
It may not show up in next week’s sales data.
But over the next several quarters, it shows up in who differentiates and wins.
Chart source:
Collage Group Performance Matrix for Grocery & Supermarket. April 2026. Culturally fluency is measured on a scale of 1-100 based on survey data collected from 4,500 US consumers.