Visit http://www.mostcontagious.com/ for a round-up of the biggest global trends of 2010
Visit http://www.mostcontagious.com/ for a round-up of the biggest global trends of 2010
Conversational Capital
Why, as consumers, do we remember some brands more than others? Why is it that some brands, some campaigns, some products hold our attention whilst others pass by unnoticed? Why do we become physically and emotionally attached to certain brands when others gain no response? Why do we adopt certain brands as part of our personal narrative, allow them to represent our character and convey our self-image? Developed by a trio of brand architects, Conversational Capital: How to create stuff people love to talk about, presents the idea that brands are able to engineer these properties. That by implementing a series of “principles” across all touch-points with the consumer, the brand is able to create a salient experience, high in residual value, which not only has the ability to shape the consumers’ identity but which is so meaningful and intense that one feels compelled to advocate the experience- and in doing so, the brand- to their peers. The authors present the following 8 principles: Myths, Rituals, Exclusive Product Offering, Relevant Sensory Oddity, Icons, Tribalism, Endorsement and Continuity This book has been the single most powerful influence in my starting this blog. Through their experience with global brands such as IKEA, Cirque de Soliel and Red Bull, the authors have begun to build a solid base on top of all other “flowery” word-of-mouth literature. A workable formulae to achieve real competitive advantage. It aim to explore, comment on, discuss, and analyse how these individual engines can be applied in the digitalsphere, to the same effect. How do YOU think online brand experiences can be engineered to facilitate word-of-mouth?
What does research by WOMMA state as the top factor influencing brand consideration at each stage of the purchase decision making process? Word of Mouth!..and the largest and most powerful venue for the exchange of consumer to consumer communication….Social Media Communities! (http://bit.ly/c8BrZR).
Ok, so how can we create these communities around our brand?
Rather than looking to create communities around your brand, you must understand that these communities already exsist- instead you must think about how you can empower that community to achieve what it wants to achieve. So if these communities already exist, how do we communicate and engage with them?
There are three key points to recognise here:
- People already talk- they don’t want to be interrupted, but they do want their conversations to be ignited
- Consumers will gladly spend a minute of their day to compose and publish their own version of a brands story, but they will not spend five seconds to listen to the company broadcast their own version of it.
- People don’t share stuff because they notice it, they share something if it has value to them or their recipient.
Essentially, the desire which drives every human interaction= value
We must seek to replicate these human transactions by becoming value creators- it is not about interrupting consumers and telling them how brilliant you are, its about adding value to the experience in an authoritative, authentic and transparent manner, igniting new ideas and enhancing the existing conversation….inspiring consumers! Do not broadcast your brand on unsuspecting spectators, involve consumers and collaborate!
A thought from William Berger…
From time to time, the very essence and meaning of a brand must be re-examined., in the context of a changing world. Everything must be questioned, all assumptions challenged. After which, the brand’s story must be told- with new twists and unexpected turns.
If the story is big enough, important enough, ground-breaking, relevant and powerful enough, then the result will be Positive Disruption!
great ideas self-propagate
