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.

Fun fact: the number of airplanes in the sky every hour in the U.S.—5K. Check out their intersecting flight patterns. There’s also the celebration of innovative ideas: electric planes and optimized descents that reduce fuel consumption and CO² emissions. Personally, I recommend the High Flying Tens—top ten plane landings, weirdest planes, window photos and trying your hand at designing your own plane.

You know it’s a good experience when you’ve lost track of time during your exploration, can’t wait to come back for more, leave armed with new found knowledge that you can’t wait to share with your friends and feel inspired by something that happens every day. If you aren’t enamored by the magic of flight now, once you soar through this innovative experience, I think you will be.

- Rachel Olmsted

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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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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 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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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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For my hometown Red Sox, 86 years of Wait-Till-Next-Year ended in 2004 with the team’s first championship since 1918.  However, the Red Sox brand renaissance started long before three-plus million jammed the streets of Boston for that celebratory Rolling Rally.  In fact, Fenway Park hasn’t had an open seat since May 2003, a record streak currently standing at 551 consecutive sellouts. 

While a hundred years of brand history can’t be dismissed, much of the credit can be given to the fresh blood that bought the team from a family trust in 2002.  With a renewed focus on the customer (and organizational success on the field), the Red Sox have marketed themselves into a place in baseball – and business – history. 

Here are five lessons from Brand Red Sox you can use to hit your own branding home run:

LESSON 1:  Develop your brand around something you can control.

After 2004, experts were predicting the end of the Red Sox brand.  How could the ‘lovable losers’ ever overcome their greatest success?  How could the team replace the shared purpose that 86 years of losing had lent the fan base?

Simple – they built their brand around things they could control: history and tradition.  Some traditions are old (such as Friendly Fenway) and some are new (“Sweet Caroline” during the 8^th inning).  Today’s uniforms have been largely the same since 1933; ditto for Fenway’s unique shade of green.  These elements carry the weight of brand continuity regardless of who is playing (and whether or not they win).  The brand does not strive for relevancy; instead, it has defined what is relevant and what is not.

The lesson? Establish who you are as a brand and make that your own.  Just make sure that your associations are valued by your customers, are able to be owned over time and in the competitive marketplace, and are things you do well as a business.

LESSON 2:  Sell a customer experience.

Baseball is an emotional sell.  ‘America’s pastime’ has strong associations with a shared national history.  Consumers of baseball are not just looking for a winning team, they are looking for a story, a connection – and an experience.  Red Sox Nation (a team-sponsored fan club) was launched in 2004 and offers a selection of benefits including a ‘citizenship card’ and a variety of behind-the-scenes benefits.  But most importantly, it gives fans a deeper experience and a ‘card carrying’ identification with the brand.

Even if you sell emotionless widgets, you are still in the end dealing with customers who buy (or balk) on emotion and justify with their brain.  Examine your customer touchpoints for ways you can add and improve emotional experiences.  If, like the Red Sox, you have a subcontractor (their concessionaire is Aramark) remember that your customers don’t see that distinction.  If the beer’s warm, or the service’s rude, you’re still to blame.

LESSON 3:  “Yankees Suck!”

Other than the obvious lesson here, remember that competitive differentiation is important in every industry and that a little rivalry rarely hurts.

LESSON 4:  Make a commitment to yourselves and your customers.

Your brand is your promise to your customers.  What exactly is the level of service you provide?  Is your organization aligned and incented towards achieving these goals?

The Red Sox management team has succeeded in clearly identifying what they provide.  GM Theo Epstein has openly committed to building a team to win 95 games each year.  Similarly, new ownership quelled Bostonians’ fears shortly after taking over the team by committing to renovating Fenway Park rather than a tear-down-and-rebuild scheme that had been on the table.  Eight years later, Fenway is larger, cleaner, more accessible, and every bit as characteristic as it ever was (and is still the centerpiece of the brand).

LESSON 5: Have fun.

Beyond giving you a reason to get out of bed in the morning, bringing fun into your business will come through in your brand.  There are times to be serious, of course, but the more often you can say ‘Play Ball!’ with yourself, your customers, and your employees, the stronger and more resilient your business can become.  Be your brand – but be yourself as well.

–Dan Liska

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The brand that’s made me the happiest this year is Wolfgang’s Vault. I go there on a regular basis, often on Friday afternoons when I’m finishing up administrative tasks and need some ear candy. The more I listen, the more often I return. I’ve heard concerts by artists I wish I’d gone to and concerts from the same tours I saw “back in the day” by artists that hadn’t made it big yet. I started going to the site a couple of years ago to relive some great musical moments in my life—but now I’m getting much more.

I love that the Vault has branched out to newer artists and more recent concerts. Their A to Z list of performers is huge and inclusive, so I can experiment. There are artist interviews as well as concerts. There are lots of free downloads as well as ones you have to pay for. Plus concert listings in my area.

The website has improved steadily. It’s become increasingly easy to use and what Wolfgang’s Vault is adding, I’m enjoying. I must be in their target demographic—they’re hitting me in my soft spot and I love it!

What’s the brand lesson? Do one thing really well and build from there. Innovate around what you know and give your customers and fans an easy path to follow as you lead the way. If the substance is there and you demonstrate that you’re listening, you’ll keep your die-hards and win new ones.

Have a great 2010!

Beth Woolley

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