Yesterday, I wrote a post about providing people with Brand Stories to make them feel special & unique for being associated with a particular brand.
And, today, I came across this fun presentation by Russell Davies, a well-known planner in the UK, called Playful. He refers to something similar - pretending! His presentation talks about how we buy products that allow us to pretend to be something/someone else - enticing an emotion based on a brand association.
For instance, he talks about watches:
Russell implies that it is the ability to pretend adds value to the products or services we buy. Which completely makes sense, as we, consumers, use brand association to communicate elements of our personality that exists or that we wish to create.
I believe brand stories, which I talked about yesterday, gives customers the background they need to be able to pretend - the right product creates the desired sensation for you to feel how you want, whether it be a pilot, action hero, glamourista, etc.
Feel free to check out Russell Davies Playful presentation here.
Another example, I forgot to mention yesterday, is Burberry's Art of the Trench campaign:
It has created a great way to give its customers brand stories, while enabling them to create their own brand story as well. It features the versatility of the trench through modern day images, along with giving consumers the history of this classic fashion piece through the decades!
In addition, to providing consumers with stories about the trench coat, it also gives them an opportunity to share their own story & photo about their trench coat! This is beneficial for 2 reasons:
It excites and engages customers because of the potential thrill of momentary fame, and the ability to express themselves!
It deepens the customer's relationship to the Burberry trench coat, because they have gone out of their way to put together a striking outfit with their coat and begin to think how special it is to them - making them more loyal to the Burberry trench!
We are no longer jumping and jiving as a group in our matching khakis and cotton shirts. Rather, we are seeing an influx in the desire to be individuals - everything we purchase or associate ourselves with must communicate something about who we are or want to be! The brands we associate with must stand for something, so we can decide if it suits our individual style/personality!
We, as consumers, are more proud of our products/services that we purchase when they come with a unique story! Consumers are no longer interested in purchasing products/services, as they are the stories (aka bragging rights) that come with them.
Customers want to be able to connect with brands on a meaningful level - know something special about the brand that no one else knows or have experienced something truly memorable with that brand! These brand stories make our relationship with brands more significant because the product/service is no longer generic and meaningless, rather it's a one of a kind, personal experience, which, in turn, makes that product/service more valuable!
Brands need to provide customers with stories to share! These stories often come in the form of reasons to believe - initiatives that support and uphold the brand's purpose, yet they have enough 'wow factor' to excite customers and make them feel special and unique to have experienced!
There are 2 ways to empower your customers with brand stories:
1) Give them background on the brand/product/service:
For instance, I, recently, purchased a beautiful Marc Jacobs bag, and when I was buying it, Joy, the sales associate, told me this was the first time Marc has made a true red bag. Also, she mentioned that Marc Jacobs grew up with his wealthy grandmother in New York, and that is where a lot of the influence for his designs comes from.
This not only made me feel unique to have one of Marc Jacobs' first true red bags, but I also felt like I was learning insider information about the designers influences! So, you can only imagine how many times I've shared this story any time someone comments on my new bag, because it's not just a bag anymore - it's a special story!
2) Provide customers with a memorable experience:
For example, this past month, a Canadian credit union, Servus, started handing out $10 bills to people for its Feel Good Ripple initiative, which encourages people to make someone else feel good with that $10 bill!
This is a great initiative for 3 reasons: 1) the person Servus gives $10 to will remember its passion towards encouraging random acts of kindness within the community; 2) the receive of the random act of kindness will hear how Servus created this ripple effect & will associate the brand with how special they were made to feel; and 3) all of this works for the Servus brand as they are a member-owned, community-based financial institution, so it makes sense for them to take an interest in creating a feel good ripple within its community!
Any memorable experience, whether a great background story or engagement with the brand, creates a ripple effect! Customers will be proud of these stories and want to share them with friends and family - like I have done with my bag. It makes us feel unique and special to have learned something new or have experienced something memorable!
For the brand this means:
The creation of a stronger customer relationship
The spread of positive perceptions for the brand that correspond to its purpose
So, how are you going to give your customers powerful brand stories they will feel proud to share?
For fun - here is the 1998 Khaki Swing Commercial by GAP that I made reference to at the beginning of this post. Khaki Swing happens to be one of GAP's most successful & memorable ads, which, ironically, is also one of their cheapest campaigns - no superstars, just no name dancers having a good time!
I love this diagram created by Marty Neumeier as it illustrates how an organization's brand impacts a community of stakeholders in a, kind of, perpetual domino effect.
So, in essence, the brand purpose motivates & focuses the efforts of the organization (management & employees in this diagram) - so then the organization, through branded initiatives, engages with customers stimulating trust & loyalty, which motivates investors because they see the demand for the brand. The investment, then, allows the organization to continue to pursue its brand purpose - perpetuating the cycle.
The key element I want to draw from this are the customers! Without them there would be no revenue and no way for the organization to continue what it has set out to accomplish!
A few weeks back, I was chatting with a colleague of mine, and he was saying that a brand's success cannot solely rely on brand purpose - there has to be something else! This got me thinking - I soon realized that I have forgotten to mention the importance of BRAND RELEVANCE! Your brand is only successful if you are able to satisfy an unmet need!
Before I delve into brand relevance, let's chat about the purpose of brand purpose!
Brand Purpose:
Is the reason you want your organization to exist long after you perish - because if it ever disappeared, it would no longer be able to provide the world with change, hope, etc. - This gives your brand greater value and meaning to customers (and maybe society as a whole).
In addition, brand purpose provides the organization with a guiding beacon. It helps give management & employees motivation to do amazing things - because they have a higher purpose and sense of pride in what they do!
This is all well and good - you can dream to change the world and make it a better place, but if you don't provide a benefit that is relevant to customers' needs and wants, you are not going to be able to draw in enough revenue to keep your doors open and continue to pursue you brand purpose!
A good example of this would be a fashion designer - the designer may have this incredible and elaborate collection & style in mind (brand purpose), but if no one can wear it in an environment beyond the runway (brand relevance), no one will buy from the collection, causing the designer's dream to never become fully realized!
So now there's brand relevance:
Essentially, this means that organization offers a brand promise that satisfies a customer's unmet need, and is relevant to their lifestyle, technology, etc.
People inevitably change over time, based on trends, technology, cultural shifts, etc. And because great brands often outlive their customers, they need to make sure their purpose adapts (without jeopardizing its core essence and reason for existing).
Your organization may begin to satisfy an unmet need (creating brand relevance), or it may begin because you have a dream to make the world better in some way (pursuing brand purpose), but in order to have longevity, and survive the ages, you must eventually acquire both brand purpose & brand relevance!
Recently, I came across Volkswagen's 'The Fun Theory' program on Youtube. Essentially, this initiative is a contest to have people create fun ways to change behavior for the better. Here are some examples I came across on Youtube:
What I like about this program, is how VW is finding fun ways to change behavior, and through these videos you can see how they have worked! But what also makes this so great, is that it suits the VW brand!
VW is the people's car - so here they've found a way to help 'the people' by changing behavior for the betterment of 'the people' (i.e. becoming more active by taking the stairs - cleaning up the park by putting more trash in the bin). I think this is a great initiative that is completely on brand - fun and for the people!
What also makes this initiative great, is that it has brought its customers into the mix, in the form of a content, by asking them to create ways to change behavior with fun. This now creates a dialogue that engages customers on a more meaningful level - VW is not just talking about cars, but it's talking about doing good for people because it is the people's car!
This is ideal because customers want to associate themselves with brands they share values with, as I mentioned in Branding for a Seamless World. So, I believe, when customers are in the market to buy a car, they will be more likely to select the brand they feel has done something positive for them (or their environment or the greater population), so they will return the favor with a purchase. Or for those who already own a VW vehicle, it makes them feel proud of their brand association, which creates a deeper connection with existing customers stimulating loyalty and repeat purchase!
VW has created a great example demonstrating how your brand can lead to a deeper and more meaningful connection with customers to stimulate brand awareness and loyalty!
A few months ago, I came across The Big Ideal presentation by Ogilvy Group UK. I thoroughly liked the presentation as it talks about brands finding and maximizing their Big Ideal!
The Big Ideal is an overarching aspirational thought that guides the decisions of an organization. In my case, I often refer to the Big Ideal as Brand Purpose!
Here are a few examples of brands and their Brand Purpose/Big Ideal: The presentation talks about how great brands have big ideals! And it states that when big ideals are present ideas flow more easily. I completely agree with this statement! When there is purpose, their is motivation and focus - the organization knows what its mission is, making it easier to make decisions.
Also, Ogilvy's presentation talks about how the most successful companies tend to be the least profit-oriented, as they have big ideals to focus on instead:
This makes sense because when you have a higher purpose, you become more motivated to make the world a better place, rather than, only, focusing on the bottom line. This allows the organization to focus on its users. And by doing so, you are consistently meeting their needs which creates satisfaction, trust and loyalty; therefore, stimulating higher profits because people are willing to spend more on your products and remain repeat purchases!
Like the presentation says: "Big Ideals Make Business Sense"!
Thank you Ogilvy for a great presentation and for helping your clients find and/or maximize their brand purpose!
If you would like to check out The Big Ideal presentation you can find it here.
This week I'm in Arizona celebrating my birthday and enjoying some much needed dry heat! And every time I'm here, I have to find an In-n-Out Burger! I'm not a big fast food eater, but I do enjoy a good cheeseburger & fries at In-n-Out! Maybe it's because I'm partial to companies who are true to their brand - and In-n-Out is one of those brands!
In-n-Out celebrated its 60th Birthday last year, and for the past 60 years, it has barely changed! It has stuck to its purpose of providing "Quality you can taste"! This has stemmed from the organization's philosophy to:
And it is through the consistent execution of this philosophy, that it has been able to grow a strong following of devoted customers!
What I like most about In-n-Out, is that rather than trying to be something it isn't, like McDonald's is desperately trying to do, it has continued to be, strictly, a burger place with good quality ingredients! When people think of a good quality fast food burger, they know where to go - In-n-Out, because that's what it specializes in. I mean look at its menu versus McDonald's - In-n-Out has a simple and focused selection:
All of these images are from Flickr.com, and it was funny to read the comments from each. Those who were looking at the In-n-Out menu were talking about how every time they see the menu, they begin to salivate and crave an In-n-Out burger and "fresh cut fries". But when people were talking about McDonald's menu, there were comments that first noted how unhealthy their food was, and secondly, how there are too many options to be able to make a selection!
This is a clear indication that In-n-Out's dedication to good quality fast food, and the fact that it has remained privately held by the original founding family, has allowed them to make the necessary trade-offs to stay true to who they are, while satisfying its customers needs. Where as McDonald's, although extremely successful, is struggling to create a clear and meaningful brand perception amongst its customers. They seem unwilling to make any trade-offs to help define who they are.
McDonald's idea of fair market share is 100%, hence the extensive and overwhelming menu. Where as In-n-Out has made a conscious decision to focus on the quality of its food, rather than gaining maximum market share. And it is this decision that has allowed the organization to become a specialist within its market and earn loyal customers!
Here is another example of In-n-Out living its purpose that I enjoy: This is In-n-Out's fries container, and once you finish eating your yummy fries, you have an opportunity to learn how they come from freshly cut potatoes (which you may have seen being done behind the counter) that are cooked in 100% trans-fat free, cholesterol-free vegetable oil, and it's been done this way since 1948!! This is a great example of a successful & consistent combination of messaging and actions!
Thank you In-n-Out Burger for being you! And I'm sure I will see you at least one more time while I'm in Arizona!!!
I believe in approaching all brand initiatives holistically - meaning what one business group does must be consistent with how the other groups act within an organization. For instance, when working on my clients' digital marketing initiatives, it's imperative we consider how these activities can be translated to the offline world.
In fact, there was a trend featured on Trendwatching.com, called OFF=ON, which alludes to the idea that we are seeing the online world transfer into the offline world. When I was reading this, I was thinking, "Of course, especially for brands!"
Take for example Google Maps - the experience is now moving to the offline world by indicating people's favorite places first online, with it's memorable markers, then offline with those markers appearing at the noted locations:
People do not consciously recognize when they are going from, for example, an online H&M shopping experience to walking into an H&M store on Oxford Street in London, to reading a friend's comment on her amazing new H&M top on Twitter. To this person a brand is one organization, which, to them, is not managed by multiple business groups with varying business drivers. We live in a seamless world, so our organizations need to act seamlessly with consistent messages and actions, ideally based on the brand purpose.
In this year's Interbrand Best Global Brands report there is an article discussing this very topic - living in a seamless world. It talks about how digital has eliminated our traditional barriers of time & space (products & stores), and now people have more access to more information, people, opinions, etc. than ever before. This has altered people's expectations towards brands. They expect there to be complete transparency between them and all brands!
To give organizations confidence to offer this level of transparency, it is important to have purpose and meaning providing the organization with a focused direction. The purpose helps organizations make the necessary trade-offs to ensure they stay on point and maintain a consistent brand perception in their customers' eyes - after all brands can no longer control the conversation - they can only influence it!
Interbrand offered 3 new rules for building a brand in this seamless world:
Have Purpose: Like myself, Interbrand encourages organizations to know what they offer society, not just the economy, as consumers wish to associate themselves with brands they share values with and can believe in. It mentions that purpose allows brands the ability to engage with its consumer beyond, just, its products and services.
Be prepared to talk a lot about what you are working on, not just what you make: Consumers are hungry to get involved. They are tired of being talked at. Rather, they want a 2-way dialogue with brands. They want to offer their opinion. What a great way to learn and evolve by listening & engaging with your customers!
Embrace co-creation: Organizations need to maximize their ability to stimulate or join non-linear dialogues to share opinions & information with customers - who knows they may be have thought of something completely new, exciting & on-brand for your organization. Just look at what has emerged from the MyStarbucksIdea.com in its first year: those amazing (and I mean amazing) splash sticks, the Starbucks VIP cards, the ability to get a free coffee when you buy a bag of coffee beans, and free coffee for Gold Card members on their birthday!
Similar to what Umair Haque says in his Constructive Capitalism presentation, our economy is centered on interactions. So, lets maximize these interactions through the seamless world by building brands that stand for something, more than the bottom line to motivate both their employees & customers.
Having a brand purpose will better prepare an organization to influence its reputation, and ensure each business unit is acting in unison, so that when a consumer is engaging with a brand on any medium, whether it's online or offline, the brand experience remains consistent and memorable!
Russell implies that it is the ability to pretend adds value to the products or services we buy. Which completely makes sense, as we, consumers, use brand association to communicate elements of our personality that exists or that we wish to create.
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