Renting Relationships: Using the Receptivity Model to Build Brand Strength

Challenger brands and other fast-growth businesses face a common dilemma: you need rapid, sustainable growth – but lack the deep CRM histories and loyalty schemes that established brands take for granted.

Marketers know they must ‘build relationships’: capture emails, track journeys, feed the CRM… But what if you can’t?

What if you launch with no customer history, no login system, no app data, no loyalty programme – you just need to find new customers, fast – and at scale?

We believe the answer lies in Receptivity, a model that prioritises timing, context and mindset. It’s not about reaching millions; it’s about reaching people when they’re most open to your message.

This is where ‘media as data’ changes the game, where smart brands are now using media partnerships to access behavioural insight they’d never gather on their own – and finding high-intent, high-fit audiences without waiting to build a database from scratch.

Rather than rely on cookies or first-party data you don’t yet have, you ‘rent’ behavioural insight through smart media partnerships. You tap into real-world intent signals – travel bookings, purchase behaviour, remittance flows – moments that reveal when a consumer is primed to listen and act.

It’s a proven, data-driven shortcut to trust and relevance.

A luxury property developer used this approach to reach high-net-worth individuals interested in prime real estate in Dubai, London and Miami. By combining Western Union’s remittance data with Sojern’s travel signals, we were able to pinpoint prospects with the means and the intent to invest – and then engage them at moments of peak receptivity, such as planning a property visit abroad.

Future Farm, a plant-based challenger brand faced a similar obstacle. With no time to build a massive database, they just needed to reach real shoppers at the only store where the product was stocked: Sainsbury’s. By partnering with AudienceQ , we built a custom audience of verified Sainsbury’s shoppers. Layering that on top of standard targeting, we ensured every impression counted, boosting awareness and delivering immediate efficiency.

Both examples demonstrate how data-driven media targeting enhances receptivity – putting your message in front of people who are ready to hear it.

Why does this matter for your brand? Because when you match your campaign to real-life behaviour (not just assumed demographics) you show up as both helpful and credible. Over time, your consistent relevance builds brand salience, preference and trust – the hallmarks of lasting brand strength.

Unhindered as they are by rigid legacy systems, it’s no coincidence challenger brands are leading this shift. Nimble and ROI-led, they’re able to test fresh data sources, align creative and media quickly, doubling down on what works. For retail, health and wellness brands, especially, where trust, timing and relevance matter, receptivity turns media spend into lasting brand strength.In a world without cookies or guaranteed loyalty, renting data-rich relationships is often the smartest way to build your own.

Are you ready to reach people when they’re ready to listen?