Stop, Look and Listen

Comportment - To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 1969)

Over time, societal behavior changes. As planners, we are attuned to that.

One noticed recently in public spaces: A man stretches his feet into the aisle of the bus. A teenage girl bends her knees and places her feet on the bus seat. An elderly woman rests her feet on a theater railing. A young woman lies down on a gym's bench while texting.

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A relaxed attitude prevails. One of laissez-faire, one echoed in casual clothing. A lack of separation of public and private space, since the two spaces are linked by technology. It is the ever-present, ever-on device which connects behavior from the home to the public space. The possibility of digital communication everywhere translates to similar behavior everywhere.

How could marketers reach people when they feel at ease in all places? What could impact them? We could enter their space in an unexpected way physically. We could invite them to interact and play. We could use digital media so that they have a unique experience. We have to make people stop and look. Otherwise, they will not receive our messages.

What Marketers Could Learn from the Homeless

The homeless man darted into the oncoming traffic, observed by this writer. Aware of the cars, he decided to cross the street.

One could think of brands as analogous to the homeless man. At times their managers make decisions which appear reckless, not in keeping with the brand's image. Consumers notice. If the decisions for the brand do not fit its image, consumers may quickly criticize them on social networks. "The rules of branding are shifting," says Timothy Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "As soon as you have an issue, people can pick it up and broadcast it everywhere." Think of logo changes, like Tropicana's and Starbucks', which caused consumer negativity. More than ever, consumers believe they own brands.

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The oncoming traffic could also be thought of as the information stream which bombards consumers. Brands need attention, so dart into the traffic. They must act almost recklessly to capture consumer attention, as long as the action does not hurt the brand. Thoughts on watching the homeless.

5 Points for Creativity from 3 Star Chefs

Can one learn creativity? The chefs Michel and his son Sébastien Bras offer us lessons in the film "Step Up to the Plate" ("Entre les Bras, la cuisine en héritage") by Paul Lacoste. The film depicts their artistry in creating food, for which their restaurant Bras was awarded 3 Michelin stars. They teach us the following ideas, in alphabetical order:

1. Adaptibility: When Sébastien creates a dish for their restaurant in Japan, Michel realizes that its elements would have to be changed for French diners. Be flexible.

2. Inspiration: One could be inspired by anything. Sébastien remembers food his grandmother served when he was a child and incorporated a combination in a recipe.

3. Iteration: The Bras try again and again until they find the correct solution. This pertains to the beautiful placement of food on a plate or recipes.

4. Questioning: Always ask why. Michel Bras questions Sébastien after he shows Michel a new dish. Perhaps we could move this item to another part of the plate? Or could you add a little more of a seasoning? Persist until one achieves the best.

5. Reflection: In the film, both chefs run in the beautiful countryside. Their exercise gives them an opportunity to escape, relax and think.  The intense world of creativity requires a break. When one is away from one's work, one could return with a fresh outlook.

These are five points for creativity, which apply to any artistic profession or pursuit.

This Experience's for You

How does a brand penetrate through a consumer world of too much information due to traditional, social and digital media? Create an experience, which is what Budweiser did for its 2012 Super Bowl spot. Its agency Anomaly staged an influx of fans at a recreational hockey game in Port Credit, Ontario where there are often less spectators.

The event arose through careful orchestration. The agency's staff told the players that they would film a documentary, to dispel any questions about cameras at the rink. Soon after the game began, shouting, costumed fans ran into the bleachers. The look of astonishment and joy on the players' faces is priceless.

One recalls similar events created by KLM and T-Mobile, where they entered the consumers' physical space. Since marketers cannot visit each consumer's home, visit his or her physical environment. The visit represents an effort to meet the consumer halfway, to join him, to engender a conversation.

The result is a new way of marketing, a social experience which impacts consumers through participation and memory. It could be a large and expensive undertaking, but well worth it. Small companies could accomplish this on a smaller scale. Offer a gift to your consumers. Give them the gift of joy, which reflects joy on the brand.

Budweiser's brand gained equity through the hockey game. They created a positive experience for the players and for consumers who watched the spot. Companies should think of new ways to reach customers through the media clutter. A brand's gift of fun will be remembered.

Shiseido's Trailer Marketing

© Carol L. Weinfeld

Shiseido came to the San Francisco streets last week in a shiny Airstream trailer to publicize its new Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum. Employees offered samples and beauty consultations.

It is smart business to meet one's customers in person, in addition to the digital space. One can gain valuable information about one's brand face-to-face in casual conversation, and often learn more than one would in focus groups. Customers also appreciate the approach on their turf, as they go through their day, instead of approaching the brand in a store on their own. The street marketing makes Shiseido's brand more approachable.

Luxury brands effectively utilize social media marketing. For example, Burberry staged a fashion show in China and in real-time online. Gucci engages fans on its Facebook page, and Chanel creates films about its brand for its website.

Fashion brands depend on trends, and understand that social media is an important trend.  Companies should not practice social media just for the sake of doing so; it should fit its brand and its customers in the approach.

© Carol L. Weinfeld

Shiseido stationed the trailer near the Union Square shopping district, a good place to reach Shiseido's shoppers, since there are many high-end stores. Know your customers, and seek their surroundings offline and online based on your knowledge of them. They will be pleased to have the attention and interest, and will also be interested in your brand.

This is How We Tell a Story

Set the stage: Scenes of Detroit
Engage the viewer: "I got a question for you."
Allude to the main idea: Luxury
Paint a picture: "...a town that's been to hell and back..."
Begin the story: "Well, I'll tell ya."
Describe the main character: "Hard work, conviction and the know-how that runs generations deep..."
Create suspense: Intercut with scenes of a car approaching at night
Continue: "That's our story."
Add tension and conflict: "It's probably not the one you've been reading in papers."
Add mystery: The viewer does not know who is driving this car.
Add irony: "We're certainly no one's Emerald City."
Hero reaches his goal: The mysterious Chrysler arrives and Eminem enters the Fox Theater.
The narrator explains Chrysler's (and Detroit's) story: "This is the Motor City, and this is what we do."
The End: "Imported from Detroit"

What's in a Logo?

photo courtesy of Starbucks

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Shakespeare understood this as does Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, re: Starbucks' new logo. The name has not changed; it is still Starbucks, although the name is not present in the new logo. Many consumers do not understand the change. Another issue is that consumers who are very loyal to a brand claim ownership and entitlement to control the brand's image.

What's in a logo? A logo stands for a brand. Many consumers complain on Facebook and Twitter about the logo change, since they do not want their brand to change. It is their unacceptance of change which outweighs their acceptance of the company modification, a transition beyond coffee. It would be beneficial for many Starbucks customers to read Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D., to better adjust to change.


photo courtesy of Parvin

Many Starbucks customers are loyal to the brand and prefer its coffee to other coffees. This loyalty translates to a feeling of belonging to and identification with the brand. They believe that they are a Starbucks person as opposed to a Peet's Coffee & Tea person, for example. The brand and its product were made for them, they believe, and in reciprocity, they own the brand.

Ownership leads to consumers' belief of entitlement to affect a brand. The logo decision should be theirs. How dare the company change it without asking them? they say. We witnessed this unacceptance with the GAP logo debacle, where ultimately GAP reverted to its old logo, due to consumer outcry. In Starbucks' case, Howard Schultz communicated the change before it occurred, and explained its reason: This change mirrors the change of the company.

We learn for our own brands that change must be communicated clearly to our consumers. They cannot manage companies although they believe they are entitled to, due to their loyalty to a brand. Companies must partner with consumers through social media channels and constantly monitor their conversations with consumers. They must reassure their consumers during change, yet ultimately make their own decisions.