When millennials were asked by the Cassandra Report to define their generation, the overwhelming response was “globally connected”.

As we travel to different countries collecting friends, colleagues, stories and experiences, technology gives us new ways to stay connected. The relationships we create and cultures we experience all change our perspective of the world. For global news I’ll look to a Facebook friend in that country over an established broadcaster.

A more transient existence means we’re generally owning less and moving around more. There’s an opportunity for brands to help facilitate this by forming local partnerships, or adopting flexible contract models that can be used anywhere in the world.

PayPal enables us to pay anywhere, City Mapper can help us find our way around and networks such as Skype and WhatsApp mean we can keep in touch. Brands like Soho House Group are creating their own network of like-minded individuals, providing them a sense of belonging all over the world.

The networks we build are powerful; they help shape our choices and define who we are. Brands can help their customers stay connected and in turn develop a more meaningful relationship with them.

Read on for examples…