What do you call a brand that has enjoyed long-term success, remaining profitable and vibrant for over 30 years, while the vast majority of their early competition struggles for relevancy?
In the music world, you’d call that brand Duran Duran. Get ready for your 80’s flashback! We’re going to talk about what it takes to create enduring customer loyalty.
What Happens Tomorrow: The Evolution of a Brand
In the 1980’s, Duran Duran was hitting every note perfectly. They were one of the most successful bands of the decade. Fans loved their New Romantic sound. The fact they were the prettiest boys in rock didn’t exactly hurt the situation.
Fashions change, and the fashions in music change faster than most. The collective soundtrack started getting a harder, edgier sound—the first whiffs of Grunge were riding on the wind—and the members of Duran Duran did a very smart thing. They recognized who their very best, most loyal fans were, and they made a substantial commitment to connecting very closely with those fans.
Dominant organizations win because they identify what it is their customers value most about interacting with their brand and then deliver exactly those things comprehensively and consistently.
For Duran Duran, it turned out that what the fans valued most is interaction with the band members and special access. The band provides these things: they recently put on a mystery show in NYC with free tickets for the most ardent fans, and they maintain an impressive social media presence, including a membership site where exclusive photos, videos, and music is posted. Band members share their birthday celebrations with the fans. There are members-only contests to win autographed copies of music magazines.
Understanding the Peak Emotional Experience
It all has a very gushy, over-the-top Tiger Beat feel. That’s the point! Key to the band’s enduring popularity is understanding the peak emotional experience the fan is looking for. It’s not enough to hear Hungry Like The Wolf one more time. Repetition of a product is not enough to sustain a relationship. Duran Duran’s fans want to feel the way they felt when they heard the song for the very first time, when the lyrics and beat delivered an intoxicating message designed only for their ears.
Social media has made it much easier for Duran Duran—and any other brand that wants to create sustainable customer loyalty—to connect with their customers. 860,000 Facebook fans are the first to hear news about the band. There are behind the scenes rehearsal pictures, live-blogged media appearances, and more. These efforts help the band’s best fans feel like they have a special status. They belong to the Duran Duran community. They’re heavily invested in the band—most fans have been to multiple concerts and purchase all available music—and the band is diligent and committed to maintaining that connection.
They know that if they keep providing their fans with the peak emotional experience, the fans will keep coming back. They know this because it’s worked for them for 30 years. Is it great music? We don’t know, but it’s definitely good business!