What is Social Currency? The New Engine for Brand Growth

By Vivaldi Group March 22, 2019 3 minute read

Table of Contents

For decades, strategy was about control. We built rigid customer journeys and pushed consumers through predictable funnels. That era is over. Today’s customer doesn’t move in a straight line; they swarm. They scroll, search, share, and shop across a chaotic, decentralized ecosystem of platforms and peers. Trying to map this behavior is futile. The goal is not to direct the swarm, but to become the center of its gravity. This requires a new metric for success, one that measures pull, not push. This is where we must ask, what is social currency? It is the collective value a brand holds within these networks, determining whether it is merely observed or actively championed.

What Is Social Currency and How Do Brands Build It?

Vivaldi’s Platformization Potential Study is a forward-looking, comprehensive report that introduces the top S&P 500 companies such as Netflix, Pfizer, MGM Resorts, Nike, etc. with the most potential to capture exponential growth. We divided our analysis into two lenses: (1) the brand relationship between a company and its stakeholders and (2) how the company performs across the following five factors: The “Customer Centricity PLUS” Mindset, Value through Data and Analytics, Social Currency, Industry Position and Ecosystem Potential, and Agile Experimentation with New Technologies. Below we highlight the third factor. FACTOR 03: Social Currency

An important determinant and factor is social currency, that is how a company fits or is part of the social lives of consumers or others, and the extent it engages with others in social networks, both offline and online. Some companies express their point of view on social channels; they have a presence in consumers’ minds across multiple lines of communications or channels. They are responsive to consumers and employees, and operate like a human ‘sense and respond’ mechanism. They express their opinion, as such they don’t push, they pull. They draw people into their orbit. A good example is Salesforce, a juggernaut software company from San Francisco. It is clearly one of the most important voices in enterprise technology. Salesforce was founded only about 20 years ago with the mission to achieve the “end of software.” It branded its mission with the loved-and-hated “No Software” logo. It stood out as a unique company with a very different point of view and this has translated into over $13 billion in revenue today.

Salesforce isn’t only speaking out regarding the transformation of the software industry, it also rallies around many social issues that matter to everyone whether or not they use their products and services. It rallies business trade groups, CEOs, and politicians on social issues such as gay rights. Its CEO fires off social media missives on Twitter to support the advocacy of issues. Salesforce also built one of the largest and most prolific communities or networks. Once a year it organizes Dreamforce, which drew 170,000 attendees, and 400 partner companies in 2018. The event translates into enormous social currency. The more a company has established or earned social currency, the higher its platformization opportunity.

Explore the full study here for action-oriented strategies that can help businesses build better and stronger brands for today’s consumers.

The Future is Relational, Not Transactional

The linear funnels and simplistic transactional models that defined 20th-century business are no longer sufficient. We have moved from an economy of attention to an economy of reputation, where value is created and exchanged within complex, interconnected systems. The future of growth belongs to brands that understand this shift and embrace a relational approach. These brands act as platforms for connection, identity, and shared value, creating ecosystems that pull people in rather than pushing products out.

They recognize that their most valuable asset is not their factory or their algorithm, but the social currency they have earned with their customers and employees. This requires a fundamental change in mindset, moving from optimizing transactions to cultivating relationships. It means measuring success not just in sales figures, but in share of conversation, community engagement, and brand advocacy. In this new era, a brand is not a static asset to be managed, but a living system to be cultivated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between social currency and traditional brand awareness? Brand awareness is about recognition; people have simply heard of you. Social currency is about reputation and relevance; people actively choose to talk about you. Think of it as the difference between someone knowing your company’s name versus someone bringing your company up in a conversation because you represent a specific idea or value. Awareness is passive, while social currency is an active asset that people use to express their own identity.

How can a B2B company build social currency? Isn’t this concept just for consumer brands? Not at all. B2B social currency is built on expertise and community, not just mass appeal. As the Salesforce example shows, it comes from having a strong, forward-thinking perspective on your industry and creating spaces for professionals to connect. It’s about becoming an essential resource and a respected voice within your ecosystem, so that your brand is synonymous with industry leadership and innovation.

Is building social currency just about being active on social media? While social media is an important channel, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. True social currency is earned across all touchpoints. It’s built through the quality of your products, the value you provide at industry events, the community you foster around your brand, and even the way your employees act as advocates. It’s about becoming a meaningful part of your customers’ lives or work, whether that interaction happens online or offline.

How do we measure social currency if we’re moving beyond simple sales metrics? Measuring social currency means shifting from transactional data to relational indicators. Instead of focusing solely on conversion rates, you can look at metrics that signal influence and engagement. Consider tracking your share of conversation within your industry, the growth and health of your brand community, and the amount of unsolicited advocacy you receive. It’s about quantifying your brand’s gravitational pull.

Why is it so important to “pull” customers in rather than “push” them through a funnel? The traditional funnel was built for a world where companies controlled the flow of information, but that world no longer exists. A “push” strategy is ineffective when customers chart their own chaotic paths across countless platforms. A “pull” strategy, fueled by social currency, is more effective because it attracts customers organically. They come to you because your brand offers genuine value, connection, or identity, making them far more loyal than a customer who was simply pushed to a sale.

Key Takeaways

Trade Linear Funnels for Brand Gravity: Modern customers don’t follow a predictable path; they swarm around ideas and communities. Your goal is no longer to push them through a sequence but to build a brand so compelling that it naturally pulls them into its orbit.
Treat Social Currency as a Strategic Asset: In an economy driven by reputation, influence is your most valuable resource. Build it by taking a clear stance on relevant issues, fostering active communities, and engaging with your audience as a responsive, human-like entity.
Focus on Relational Value, Not Transactions: The future of growth lies in cultivating relationships, not just optimizing sales. Shift your metrics from transactional KPIs to measures of engagement, advocacy, and community health to build a resilient, platform-like brand.