Airplanes and flight have always intrigued me. The idea that you can put a heavy hunk of metal in the sky and make it soar is truly a phenomenon. And, as a fairly green gal, I’m also interested in the evolution of this science and how we can improve upon its efficiency. So imagine my delight when I found The GE Show: A celebration of flight.

This site, developed to help demonstrate (not just tell people) what GE is doing, is a truly brand-defining digital experience. Fun, educational, interactive and engaging: yes. Interesting and relevant information that helps you understand technology and how it influences and changes our lives: check! And, I come away from it with a somewhat surprising appreciation for GE that I never had before. Read the rest of this entry »

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Frito-Lay made a big splash the other week when they suspended a replica of their “Flavor Kitchen” over Times Square. The “Flavor Kitchen” is Frito-Lay’s newest tactic in its “naturally delicious” campaign.  They used the kitchen as a place to demonstrate their promise around, “all natural ingredients,” showing the Executive Chef chopping fresh veggies for the next batch of chips.  Why did they choose to do this versus the more traditional method of telling customers about their commitment? First, it’s more transparent and therefore more believable. There’s a big difference between a company like Frito-Lay saying they’re all natural versus showing it.

But what’s also genius about this is that it’s become a brand-defining experience. They’re not just the company who pays lip service to all natural, they’re doing it, and they doing it big. The old saying “actions speak louder than words” couldn’t be more true in today’s over-saturated consumer market. If you saw this on the news or if you were a lucky passer-by, chances are you won’t forget it. If you were going to create a brand defining experience for your business, what would it be?

- Evelyn Jones

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In a world where we’re bombarded by information—blog posts, magazine articles, YouTube videos, Facebook posts, and Tweets—there’s little room for content that lacks purpose or a wow factor. So if you’re looking to really engage your audiences, you’ll need to go beyond just another piece of content and deliver differentiated and relevant experiences packed with value.

So what does that look like? Well, for me, the experience has got to be unique, and interesting enough to  break through all the clutter and actually get my attention, it needs to be relevant to my life  and useful, and—if it’s really good—it’ll propel me to do something new.

Here’s an example: ChooseMyPlate.gov

With obesity on a steady rise, the USDA has made some updates to the good old food pyramid—in fact, they eliminated it. Recognizing that achieving a healthy lifestyle feels complicated, the new plate icon was designed to make eating healthy easy—imagine that! But what really got my attention was that the USDA didn’t stop there. Visit their website and you’ll find tips, resources and tools that help make eating right and being healthier easier, and the thing that compelled me to act: MyPyramid Menu Planner. Here you can assess your food intake and your physical activity and ongoingly track what you eat to achieve a balanced diet and meet your weight loss goals.

Whether you’re selling clothes, books, ideas, support for the homeless or a healthy lifestyle, the experiences you offer to customers (not just the content) are key to your success. So, before you start churning out your next blog, marketing campaign, annual report or interactive tool, spend some time in your customers’ shoes thinking about what will make these things more than just content—what will make them useful, interesting, thought provoking and exciting experiences for them. Because if you don’t inspire them to engage with you and take action, what’s the point?

- Rachel Olmsted

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Customers don’t wake up in the morning interested in your company and products, no matter how much you push out messaging to them.  Instead, they wake up in their world, trying to solve their problems and fill their lives with experiences that are relevant to them.

What if instead, you started with a customer focus?  If you turned the telescope around and saw the world from their point of view?  Would your products and services look the same?  Would you reframe your value and messaging?  Would you meet their needs and provide relevant experiences?  That’s what’s needed today, in a world where people can go anywhere on the Internet to find what they are looking for, where consumers no longer respond to advertising or corporate messaging, but instead are looking for experiences that make sense to them.  “Push” marketing no longer works because customers are only interested in things they have “pulled.”

So move from ME ME ME to YOU YOU YOU. Turn the telescope around and get into the customer’s frame of reference.

- Lynn Parker

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We all know that the result of a strong brand are loyal customers who tell others about that brand. But, do you know HOW those strong brands get those loyal customers? How do they win a role in their customer’s lives, such that those customers WANT to tell others about them? It’s not because they told customers to think they’re great and they just believed them. It’s not even because they ‘liked’ them on Facebook or followed them on Twitter. In a nutshell, it’s because they have designed a great experience for their customers that was relevant, useful and compelling–whether it be through a product, a service, a customer service call or a retail experience.

We call these brand-defining experiences: experiences that clearly and compellingly demonstrate the meaning behind the brand. In very strong brands, those experiences go on to serve as an expression of the customer’s personal identity. (e.g. I have an iPad because it says that I am hip, smart and I like to be connected to anything and everything around me).

A lot of the time these brand-defining moments are supported by some kind of digital experience or technology (think Apple, Amazon, Facebook etc.), but they can also be seemingly simple gestures that showcase human sentiment and fulfill deeper emotional needs. We think this example is particularly great because it illustrates just that:

In this new year, we challenge all brands to think about how they can win a role in their customers’ lives and what their brand-defining experiences might be. And, as consumers, think about those brands that have won a role in your life. What experiences did they provide that sealed the deal for you?

–Jen Travis

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+ = FUN

Wolfgang’s Vault, purveyor of concerts and memorabilia from Rock N’ Roll’s root days onward, hooked up with 7-Eleven’s Slurpee brand this summer featuring an all across America Battle of the Bands contest. I haven’t had a Slurpee since I was 20-something but I love that Wolfgang’s Vault connected me to the contest. The winner wasn’t my favorite (I’m pretty sure I’m not their target audience)—but, who cares?

It was fun to check out bands I would otherwise never know about and that represented a fairly eclectic cross-section of music, age groups and sensibilities. There’s even one I’ll keep my ears tuned to. I love that Wolfgang’s Vault finds ways to offer me new musical experiences. It keeps me going back to them for more because if I’m open to it, I get delighted by something new and unexpected. For me, that’s the definition of fun and what makes this brand stand out in my world.

What brands turn you on to new things? I’d love to know!

Beth Woolley

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Just caught wind of kulula.co via this snopes.com article. What a hoot! This regional airline out of South Africa makes a bold promise and a big splash with their visual brand. From airplanes with engaging designs to their on-time performance website page (5 years worth of stats) to their coordinated travel options that get you from your door to your destination spot and back again, this company sets clear expectations for its customers (known as “jetsetters,” if you join their loyalty program).

Kulula’s mission is around “safety first,” ease of planning and travelling at “the easiest price,” “no bullshit” (their own term – really!) and having fun. They seem to be pulling all of this off nicely. Their challenge will be to keep it up and not let the brand slip into boring. Can they create new designs when they buy new planes? Will they meet their on-schedule goals? Will employees continue to provide a fun experience even as people get accustomed to their approach?

What does it for me is that this company has tapped into the way we consumers want to be treated and engaged, with honesty and a sense of humor—and as long as they stay on top of that, they’ll be in great shape.

Any other examples out there of companies taking a more down-to-earth approach to meet customers where they are? Please share!

Beth Woolley

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There’s exciting stuff going on with my Vitamin Water.

Allow me to set the scene: Seattle’s annual Capitol Hill Block Party showcases over 60 indie bands. It’s a summer weekend that turns a downtown neighborhood into a huge party with 3 stages of music, big crowds, and lots of sun.

Vitamin Water went to the CHBP, but they didn’t pass out free samples from the back of a van as expected.  Instead they rented a hip loft space and set up fans, bean bag chairs and a dance floor. A DJ spun tunes as cute bartenders served Vitamin Water cocktails. And of course…refrigerators were filled with as much free Vitamin Water as one could handle.

My friends and I had such a good time, we spent over 2 hours dancing, meeting people and taking glam shots in their photo booth—that’s us above cocktails in hand.  I appreciate that they created a distinct experience for us music fans by making sure everyone had a good time as a good party host should.

This is social branding at its best.  This company went to where their customers hang out and contributed what’s important to them. And this kind of understanding is the magic that creates a special camaraderie and drives more meaningful relationships with people.

Needless to say, we all went home with purses full of Vitamin Water excited for their next dance party.

- Bianca Abate

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