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Marketing

Marketing Lessons from Apple’s ‘Underdogs’ Series

In the dynamic marketing world, Apple’s ‘Underdogs series offers several key insights for brands looking to make a lasting impact. Through a narrative-driven approach, the series showcases how storytelling can transform advertising from a sales pitch into a compelling experience.

Apple’s series places product features within an engaging plot. Each episode seamlessly integrates the product into the narrative, demonstrating its capabilities in real-world situations. For example, Apple’s ‘Find My’ feature becomes a hero in the story, illustrating how it can be a lifesaver in a dramatic theft scenario.

Moreover, the ‘Underdogs’ series successfully addresses data security and hybrid working schedules. This focus on timely issues underscores Apple’s relevance to its consumers’ everyday lives and fosters more profound connections with the brand.

Humor and suspense play crucial roles in the series. By mixing ‘goofery’ with ‘thrills,’ Apple keeps the storyline entertaining and suspenseful, enhancing viewer engagement and making the content more shareable and memorable.

Notably, the series blurs the line between advertising and entertainment. Viewers remain engaged with the content and are less likely to dismiss it as just another advertisement. It’s a testament to the potential of branded content when it’s done right.

The decision to air the series on digital, social, and Apple’s website amplifies its reach. The series is thus accessible to a broader audience, enhancing the brand’s visibility.

In a nutshell, Apple’s ‘Underdogs series offers valuable lessons on the power of storytelling, relevance, humor, suspense, branded content, and multi-platform release in modern marketing. It’s a masterclass on how a brand can foster deep connections with its audience while effectively showcasing its products.

July 24, 2023 by

Visit Competitors

“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.” —Walt Disney.

Competitors can be a source of motivation: they give you a bar to hit and surpass. They can also be a source of creative inspiration.

Some competitors may have already figured out a solution to your problem (there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel if you don’t need to). Or, you may see something they’re doing and know how it can be done way better.

Learning what your competitors are doing and offering can help make your products, services, and marketing stand out.

Put It Into Practice

List five of your top competitors. Circle the one you believe that you compete with most directly.

Now, plan a time to visit their website or their brick-and-mortar store (if they have one). Then answer the following questions:

What makes their store and website stand out?

What are the similarities between their store and website and yours?

What are the differences between their store and website and yours?

What improvements can be made to their store and website?

How can you implement some of the strategies they are using? 

What can you do that they are not doing?

Try looking at competition as more than an obstacle. Rather, see it as an opportunity. Competition can help you refine your business, helping you identify potential gaps in your offerings and paving the way for innovative solutions that set you apart.

Remember, competition isn’t just about outdoing others. It’s about bettering ourselves and sustainably growing our businesses.

July 20, 2023 by

How Storytelling and Authenticity Can Transform Your Marketing Strategy

Attention CEOs! Are you looking to infuse your brand with new vitality and guide it toward unprecedented growth? Storytelling and authenticity can be your winning strategies. Since time immemorial, stories have been entertaining, educating, and connecting. When businesses harness the power of stories in marketing, the results can be exceptional, translating into loyalty, engagement, and improved bottom line.

Riding the Storytelling Wave

Here’s a fact: We remember stories, not mere facts or names. This is not because we are bad with names or negligent; rather, it’s our brain, naturally wired to learn via stories and retain information wrapped within engaging narratives. 

Emerging brands, take note! The might of an engaging narrative can surpass the need for a well-known brand name. Given the advent of native marketing channels and owned communication platforms, storytelling can be your secret weapon. No longer reliant on traditional gatekeepers, you can effectively share your brand’s story authentically and powerfully. 

Take ‘Nativo’ for example, a content marketing platform that taps into the power of storytelling by emphasizing authentic content. With the aid of machine learning and AI, they meet consumers where they already are, enhancing the customer-brand relationship. This strategy enables brands to weave stories that forge genuine connections and yield significant results.

Back to the Basics: Aristotle’s Storytelling Principles

Remember Aristotle’s six elements of drama: plot, character, thought, diction, spectacle, and song. They still stand relevant, forming the crux of compelling stories. Harnessing these elements can help you create narratives that your audience finds relatable and memorable. 

The ‘Pixar Pitch’ is a tool marketers use to develop impactful, persuasive content. It involves taking your audience on a journey – showcasing the status quo, presenting an inciting incident, and then depicting the consequent actions. Your company’s origin story could serve as an excellent narrative template.

For instance, consider the story of ‘Instacart.’ The founders identified a common pain point – the tedious weekly grocery shopping and offered a solution. The resulting narrative centered around a family able to spend precious time together, thanks to the eliminated grocery trips, was far more compelling than a simple marketing message.

Swapping the Corporate Shield for Authenticity

In an unusual marketing approach, Patagonia, the outdoor outfitter, discourages customers from buying their products. Instead, they urge customers to repair and reuse, emphasizing their commitment to sustainability. This honest, value-driven narrative has resonated with customers, positioning Patagonia as a beloved brand.

Learn from Patagonia. Drive your marketing strategy, focusing on your company’s values, innovation, and people. Weave narratives that depict how your product enhances lives or the relentless efforts of your team in perfecting your product. Connecting the ‘why’ behind your brand, and communicating it through an authentic narrative, will make your customers take notice.

Authenticity and storytelling have disrupted the landscape, leading to growth, engagement, and more. So, CEOs, are you ready to show your brands a new chapter of success?

July 12, 2023 by

Mastering Narrative Devices for Authentic Brand Storytelling

Narrative Device is a strategy to communicate the brand’s story.

Should the brand use a first-person narrative? “We crafted this product for a unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or should the brand adopt a third-person perspective? “When customers get their hands on this product, they immediately notice its unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or perhaps even the second person? “Imagine discovering a product that perfectly blends style with functionality. That’s what you get with this.”

Narrative Device is another way of qualifying the brand’s “voice.” And any marketer worth their salt will tell you that once you nail the Narrative Device, the brand story comes to life almost on its own.

Consider the poetic style of Charles Bukowski.

In many of his poems, Bukowski bares his soul, revealing his authentic self behind the facade of a cynical performance artist. This is the power of a well-chosen narrative device—it allows us to see the soft marshmallow center beneath the hardened exterior.

The lesson for brands is clear: to craft compelling narratives, we need to strip away the “corporate” facade, dig into the brand’s core values, and let our authentic selves shine. This requires recognizing our brand personas and giving them a platform—let them tell our brand stories for us.

For instance, the authentic Bukowski is the guy who woke up before dawn to write. The other Bukowski was a persona—a protective facade. Similarly, brands need to acknowledge their different facets and allow each one to take the stage when it’s their time to shine.

The key to nailing Narrative Device is learning to get out of our way and let the brand’s unique ‘voice’ or ‘voices’ sing. This is how you connect with empowered consumers on a deeper level—by allowing your brand’s true colors to show, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Remember, the bluebirds in our brands resonate most powerfully with consumers.

July 10, 2023 by

How Company Culture Composes a Unique Melody

As marketers, we understand the importance of a solid and unique brand in standing out in a crowded marketplace. But have you ever stopped to consider how your company culture might be the orchestrator of your brand’s memorable melody?

Just as in a symphony, where each note, rest, and crescendo serve a distinct purpose, so do the elements of your company culture in creating your brand’s distinctive resonance. Our values guide our performance, instructing us when to step forward with a bold fortissimo or pull back into a gentle piano. Each member of the company, like each musician in an orchestra, plays their part in this grand composition, contributing to the harmonious ensemble that defines our brand.

This symphony extends beyond the borders of our company. Every time customers choose our product or service, they’re not making a purchase but joining the orchestra. They engage with the music, each note representing a shared value and melody conveying our mission. This level of engagement surpasses transactional interaction, creating a relationship rooted in shared beliefs and experiences.

Creating such a symphony requires a deep understanding of our brand’s core values, not just as written words but as living beliefs that permeate every aspect of our business. It’s about embodying these values in every interaction, every decision, and every product we create. This isn’t simply about marketing our brand to consumers but about engaging them in our performance and inviting them to be a part of the music we’re making.

Notably, a strong company culture promotes harmony not only externally but internally. Just as each instrument in an orchestra contributes to the overall sound, every team member plays a crucial role in our brand’s symphony. A harmonious company culture fosters employee engagement and loyalty, fueling the passion and creativity that drive innovation and growth.

As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern marketing landscape, let us recognize the power of our company culture in composing our brand’s unique melody. It’s more than just a tune—a symphony of shared values, meaningful connections, and collective purpose. It’s what sets our brand apart and what makes our brand a melody that customers want to play on repeat. 

In the grand orchestration of branding, company culture is the conductor, leading us to a symphony that resounds long after the music ends. Let’s continue to embrace this role of company culture, shaping our brands into symphonies that leave lasting impressions and create deep, emotional connections with our customers. After all, branding is less about selling products and more about composing memorable symphonies that resonate with our audience.

July 4, 2023 by

Brand DNA

In the complex realm of brand strategy and marketing, the concept of ‘Brand DNA’ is emerging as a transformative tool. Just as a human being’s DNA provides the blueprint for their physical characteristics, behaviors, and susceptibility to certain conditions, a brand’s DNA encapsulates its unique identity and the impact it has on customers. 

But why ‘DNA’, you might ask? 

It’s because it’s all about leveraging humanistic tools to measure a brand and its effectiveness in connecting with customers. Understanding a brand’s DNA requires a deep dive into four pivotal areas: Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, the brand’s archetypal role, the narratives associated with the brand across different cultures, and the emotions the brand frequently evokes in its customers. 

Maslow’s Human Needs: 

Every brand, at its core, aims to meet certain needs of its customers. Referencing Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs provides a framework for understanding and categorizing these needs (McLeod, 2020). From physiological needs (basic needs like food and shelter) to self-actualization needs (achieving one’s potential), brands have the power to cater to various stages of this hierarchy. For instance, a food brand might satisfy the physiological need, while a personal development program might address the need for self-actualization.

Archetypal Roles:

Building on the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, our approach looks at the role of archetypes in branding (Mark & Pearson, 2001). An archetype represents universal patterns of behaviors that people can instantly recognize and connect with. By identifying the archetype that a brand embodies, whether it’s the ‘Hero’, the ‘Explorer’, the ‘Creator’, or any of the other recognized archetypes, we can understand its position and role in the consumer’s life.

Cultural Narratives:

Every brand comes with its own narrative, a story that it tells in different cultures. Some brands are seen as symbols of freedom and ambition in one culture, while others represent tradition and heritage in another. These narratives significantly influence consumer perception and are crucial components of the brand’s DNA (Holt, 2004).

Emotional Resonance:

Finally, we must understand the emotional resonance of a brand. Brands often generate specific emotions in their customers, ranging from joy and trust to anticipation and surprise. These emotional responses can be seen as part of the brand’s DNA and have a substantial impact on customer loyalty and satisfaction (Thomson, MacInnis, & Park, 2005).

This exploration into a brand’s DNA is a potent tool, providing insights into the unique ‘humanness’ of your brand. By understanding and harnessing your brand’s unique DNA, you can create more authentic connections with your customers, increasing brand loyalty and driving long-term success. Brand DNA is part of our Brand Playbook research product suite, a customized tool kit for Top performing CEO and their C-Level Teams. We blend psychology, sociology, and business strategy that underlies the Brand DNA approach offering a powerful way forward in the ever-evolving landscape of branding.

June 20, 2023 by

Why Obsessing Over Your Best Customers is a Winning Strategy

Creating a cult brand is no easy feat. It requires a laser focus on your most dedicated customers – the brand lovers who appreciate more than just your product’s price tag. These customers are your most valuable asset and key to your brand’s longevity and profitability. Here’s why.

Research shows that attracting new customers can be five times more expensive than retaining existing ones. Yet, a loyal customer can be worth up to 10 times as much as their first purchase. This ‘customer lifetime value’ is a crucial metric that many businesses tend to overlook. Instead, they focus on short-term transactional customers who might be attracted by price but need long-term loyalty.

But why are brand lovers so crucial for cult brands?

Increased Profitability

    A study by Bain & Company found that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by up to 95%. This is because your brand lovers are more likely to buy from you again, spend more on each purchase, and require less marketing investment to convince them to purchase.

Free Marketing

    Brand lovers not only buy more, but they also promote more. According to the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, 92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. Therefore, your brand lovers are your most effective and trustworthy promoters.

Resilience to Price Changes

    Brand lovers value your brand for more than just its price. They’re less sensitive to price changes and more likely to stay loyal even when cheaper alternatives are available. This resilience provides your business with a reliable revenue stream, even in challenging market conditions.

Valuable Feedback

    Your best customers are also your best critics. They’re more likely to provide valuable feedback, helping you improve your products, services, and overall customer experience. Their input can drive innovation and stay ahead of market trends.

Cult brands obsess over their brand lovers because these customers are the lifeblood of their business. They bring in more revenue, promote the brand, remain loyal, and provide valuable feedback. By focusing on these invaluable customers, brands can foster a community of brand lovers and build a solid foundation for long-term success.

June 14, 2023 by

Amplifying Your Brand’s Following

Here are four strategies to nurture your existing customers, attract new ones, and expand your brand’s following:

Understand and Engage Your Ideal Customer

Start by creating a ‘customer persona,’ a fictional character embodying the traits of your typical customer. This persona should not be limited to demographics but should encompass their behaviors, preferences, and values. Once you’ve defined your ideal customer persona, seek out these individuals online, especially on social media platforms. Use hashtags related to your brand or industry to find potential customers, then engage with them by leaving thoughtful comments on their posts.

Prioritize Authenticity in Your Content

Authenticity is vital in a world saturated with content. People can discern when a brand is genuine or exists solely for promotional purposes. Authenticity means sharing content that reflects your brand’s personality and values, even if it means vulnerability. This approach helps to build trust, foster connections, and establish loyal followers.

Listen to Your Customers’ Needs and Wants

To boost engagement and customer loyalty, provide your customers with what they initially sought from your brand. Use analytics to identify content or products that resonate with your audience. Go further by conducting polls or surveys to understand what they want more of. This strategy engages your customers and provides valuable insights to guide your content and product strategies.

Leverage Partnerships and Giveaways

Collaborate with similar brands or influencers to reach a broader audience. For example, consider hosting joint giveaways or shared content, which increases your visibility and attracts potential customers who are likely to be interested in your brand. This approach creates a win-win situation for both brands and can significantly enhance your brand’s following.

Ultimately, growing a dedicated customer base and a strong brand following is about something other than playing the numbers game. It’s about fostering genuine relationships, delivering value, and engaging with your audience meaningfully. It’s about staying true to your brand’s purpose and constantly striving to meet and exceed your customers’ needs. That’s how you cultivate a cult brand following.

June 13, 2023 by

Embracing Shared Consciousness in Brand Communities

In the vast expanse of consumer markets, brands are no longer just providers of goods and services. They have evolved into social constructs that transcend their material existence, fostering a unique sense of unity among their users. This phenomenon is what we call “Shared Consciousness.” But what is shared consciousness and how does it impact brand communities?

Unraveling Shared Consciousness

At its core, shared consciousness is the connection that members of a brand community have with the brand and, more interestingly, with one another. It’s a constellation of social bonds that creates a feeling of familiarity among members, even in the absence of face-to-face contact. This bond provides a sense of specialness, a shared identity that makes users feel part of an exclusive tribe.

A clear example of this can be seen within the community of Mac users. Mac users, who represent a minority in a PC-dominated world, share a creative lifestyle and a certain aesthetic appeal that distinguishes them from the masses. This shared identity often engenders an instant feeling of camaraderie with fellow Mac users – strangers in every other aspect, yet connected by a bond of shared consciousness.

The Power of Shared Consciousness

Shared consciousness isn’t just about fostering connections; it also brings significant benefits for both the brand and its community. 

Enhanced Brand Loyalty: The feeling of specialness and unity that shared consciousness fosters translates into deeper brand loyalty. Users who identify strongly with a brand are less likely to switch to competitors.

Brand Advocacy: Shared consciousness often leads to stronger brand advocacy. Members of the community become brand ambassadors, voluntarily promoting and defending the brand in their social circles.

Feedback and Innovation: Shared consciousness can fuel innovation. Loyal users are more likely to provide feedback and suggestions that can help the brand grow and improve.

Building a Community with Shared Consciousness

As a brand, fostering shared consciousness within your user community can provide significant benefits. Here’s how you can cultivate this:

Create Unique Brand Experiences: Invest in creating distinctive brand experiences that resonate with your target audience. Like Apple’s ethos of creativity and aesthetics, your brand should stand for values that your users can identify with.

Encourage User Interaction: Foster platforms where users can interact, share experiences, and discuss the brand. Social media platforms, brand forums, and user groups can serve as excellent mediums for this.

Celebrate User Stories: Sharing stories of how users interact with your brand can create a sense of community. Highlighting user experiences, successes, or unique uses of your products can foster a sense of shared identity.

Shared consciousness is a powerful tool for brands. It can foster loyalty, encourage advocacy, and drive innovation. Embracing shared consciousness is about nurturing a community, not just a consumer base, and in today’s interconnected world, that could be the key differentiator for your brand.

June 7, 2023 by

Belonging and Community Building for CEOs and CMOs

The most successful brands today are those that create a sense of “belonging.” These companies understand the immense opportunity presented by fostering a community that reshapes the social fabric around their products and services. One such brand is Rapha, a cycling lifestyle brand focused on road bicycle racing and mountain biking clothing and accessories that has seamlessly integrated a sense of community into its business model.

A recent gathering in Santa Monica of the Rapha Cycle Club (RCC), a membership organization grown around Rapha’s cycle apparel business, illustrated the power of brand-fostered belonging. Members met for a sunrise cycle ride, sporting their Rapha gear, sharing coffee and conversations. This gathering wasn’t just about cycling – it was a community with rituals, shared identity, and social activities.

Why do brands like Rapha invest in building this sense of belonging? The answer lies in the deep brand loyalty it engenders and the commercial opportunities it creates. The need for belonging is fundamental, and brands that tap into this inherent human need are stepping into a void created by increasing social isolation in our digital age.

While we’re more “connected” than ever, many feel “alone.” MIT social studies professor Sherry Turkle has coined the term “Alone Together” to describe this phenomenon, and the data supports this. Research indicates rising levels of loneliness and a decline in empathy, alongside a dramatic rise in suicide rates and a significant drop in our trust in our neighbors.

Interestingly, technology has often contributed to this sense of isolation while connecting us globally. It has replaced the depth and emotion of in-person relationships with superficial online interactions. As we return human connections with digital ones, brands can provide platforms for people to reconnect on a more personal level. 

Many successful brands are already leveraging this approach. Beyond the Rapha Cycle Club, brands such as Crossfit, SoulCycle, Starbucks, and Summit are building their tribes. They’re not treating their customers as “fans” or “followers” but creating real-world, person-to-person connections. 

Moreover, this sense of belonging should not just be fostered amongst customers but also with employees. With a significant proportion of workers globally reported as disengaged in their work, brands that create a sense of community and belonging amongst their staff stand to gain significantly. 

A prime example of this is Nando’s, the global restaurant chain. One of their five values reads “and most of all, family.” Employees gather for dinner on Sundays and holidays to live this value, often inviting their families to participate.

Building a brand community should be about enhancing belonging rather than simply aggregating a fandom around a brand. In-person interaction in real life is vital for authentic connection. Physical spaces, experiences, products, and services should be consciously designed to foster the conditions for diverse people to come together in respectful environments for shared experiences. 

The future of branding lies in community building and a sense of belonging. In an era where we are simultaneously more connected and more isolated than ever, the brands that can successfully foster a sense of community and belonging amongst their customers and employees will be the ones to lead the way.

June 6, 2023 by