When consumers buy into a brand, they buy into the experience, and that’s the part they fall in love with which keeps them coming back.
And this whole 'experience' seems to be somewhat of an emerging trend for brands.
Take for example the much loved chocolate brand Cadbury, which is currently planning to open a chain of branded cafes in the UK.
The cafes – to be called Cadbury Cocoa House – are expected to offer afternoon tea, along with a range of Cadbury-themed goods.
The idea is that a branded experience based on the insights of the delights of eating chocolate and how that fantasy can be brought to life in a real way for people that walk through the door. Surely this has to be better than just grabbing a bar of the shelf at the supermarket? And what about the visual real-estate from an advertising perspective when the caf?’s can be placed in areas that give maximum impact?
The concept has certainly paid dividends for Swiss chocolate maker Lindt. It opened its very first Lindt Cafe in Melbourne last year to a queue of chocolate enthusiasts who lined up on Collins Street for hours just to get a seat in the luxury cafe. On public holiday sand weekends the cafe still enjoys a line-up of eager customers waiting for a table.
These brands have the right idea. And thinking laterally, when every player is engaging in the same activities across the marketing spectrum, why not build your entire brand via experiential marketing only?
Consider the oil companies. Imagine driving into a fuel station and someone met and greeted you, informed you about the types of fuel and specific benefits, filled your car, took your money without you even leaving the car. I’d want that and I’d talk about it.
And imagine going to a supermarket where you were greeted, and consultants were available to you and helped you buy ingredients based on your lifestyle and family requirements. Trolleys could scan the contents they carry and add up the total automatically so there was no wait at the checkout and someone carried your groceries to the car (this is actually a concept already implemented in some Scandinavian countries). You wouldn’t need to advertise if you offered this sort of service. I, for example, would tell my friends for you. Imagine the bargaining power that supermarket would have over the brands it sold if it created enough equity with its own customers.
A great brand experience goes a long way in making a brand real and relevant to people. A great brand experience can be shared online by people that have enjoyed that brand and want to tell others – as demonstrated by our new need to share everything we do and love via social media. So don’t tell people about your brand, show them by letting them touch it. Bring it to life in their eyes and they'll promote you without even knowing it.
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