Quick, what’s the most memorable company from last year’s holiday season? Yes, it’s been more than half a year and a global pandemic since then but humor me. Was it:
A.) Lexus or Audi? B.) Samsung or Apple? C.) Kay’s or Tiffany’s?
Okay, it was all of them. If you’re someone like me who only watches streaming media, those brands seemed to buy every available ad block on Hulu, Netflix and YouTube. They also had something intrinsic in common — dazzling visuals and the promise a quality experience.
Iconic & Evocative
Shots of a shiny lux car in the driveway with a giant bow segues to it cruising effortlessly through snowy mountain roads. The most recognizable little blue box in the world dissolves into a blissful embrace with flawless gems sparkling for miles. A sexy smartphone dances through the air right into a glass of water to prove it’s impervious to moisture. The list goes on for the enduring images luxury brands trade in to stick until the next holiday.
But what about you? As the saying goes, steal from the best — insofar as adopting a big-brand approach to being memorable.
“Great marketers have immense empathy for their audience. They can put themselves in their shoes, live their lives, feel what they feel, go where they go, and respond how they’d respond. That empathy comes out in content that resonates with your audience.”
– Rand Fishkin
Think about how Supermarkets stand out in the crowd despite all of them seemingly selling the same stuff. The best own a place in your brain by creating a distinctive value proposition in person and online so you think of them first.
Trader Joe’s Vibe
If you’ve been there, you know and love its curated selection of cool stuff in a laid back atmosphere where the employees wear Hawaiian shirts. But it’s more than that. The people stocking shelves or checking you out know and love the products, too. And they’ll usually tell you their favorite way to use, say, TJ’s Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons. You’ll also find fiercely loyal customers who now brave long social-distanced lines to go back and get their favorite products thanks to branding that’s synonymous with fun, quality and affordability.
Whole Foods Ecosystem
Then there’s the zen of Whole Foods. It’s like visiting the mecca of grocery stores (even after Amazon took over). I can see the appeal. Pristine veggies artfully stacked. A corner where grass-fed, dry-aged beef cures opposite grab-and-go vegan meals. Their carefully cultivated fresh-market feeling permeates every department while adhering to WF’s central branding tenet of purity and authenticity.
My favorite location in Ridgewood, NJ overflows with the coolest selection of hard-to-find products amid passionate people and calming music. It’s a model that other grocery chains strive to emulate. I worked in the creative department of a competitor whose leadership sent emissaries to Manhattan just to study Whole Foods’ distinctive presence there. You know what they say about imitation and flattery, right?
We found a way to incorporate enough of their artisan look and feel with our undying emphasis on everyday quality to create a branding experience every bit as memorable to a growing army of loyal customers. What’s stopping you from turning your brand into the next can’t-forget experience?
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Brandmoon: Words Matter 