Meaningful Conversations: The Brands that Bond

I have been traveling so much recently that it's only now that I've been able to see the published version of my most recent New Next article. It's about brands that have mutually meaningful conversations with their target audiences even though it means talking to a smaller group of people.

I'm going to post the original article here because it reads a little awkwardly after the edit and... <eek I can barely even say it>... they have added grammatical errors to the printed copy.

For the record, if you do read the published article, I know that "its" doesn't require an apostrophe of possession.

The New Next

Digital technologies are constantly presenting us with new opportunities to get closer to our consumers and into their communities. It’s an exciting time to be working in this industry. 2007 saw the explosion of online social networks into the mainstream and beyond. Suddenly it wasn’t just our early adopters that we were talking to via clever digital activities. But just for a change, let’s consider real world communities.

There is something to be said for brands that recognize the value of having a conversation with people face to face. It’s not as easy as it may sound. Taking the time to find and meaningfully interact with groups of the right people requires subtlety, and often odd working hours. Brands have to resist the temptation to overwhelm captive audiences with their messaging. There is also the challenge of measuring the returns on investment, especially when that investment amounts to a meaningful conversation with a mere handful of people. Am I selling it to you?

I believe there’s a strong case for making the effort, especially for brands that target specific interest groups (fitness freaks or mothers, for example). In Argentina we’ve found a few big brands that are seeing the rewards of targeting existing communities and giving them useful ways to be involved with the brand.

>> Sports brands and amateur running clubs

How would you feel if your friendly local running club suddenly got sponsorship from a major sporting brand? Exploited? Not here. One Saturday my coach handed out Puma hoodies to his 40 or so amateur exercise enthusiasts. Two weeks later a Puma representative casually popped by at the end of training to tell us about the brand. There was no liveried vehicle, no obligation to use the equipment, just an explanation – and it was a Saturday. That’s dedication. It was also very smart.

Our group shares the parks with other groups of runners that I’d assumed from their gear to be elite training units. Turns out they were just fellow amateur runners, color-coordinated thanks to the well-targeted largesse of other brands like Reebok, Fila or Adidas. As ‘outfits’ we quickly defined ourselves and one another; (“Oi Reebok, we’ve got the overpass today”). Without very much effort a handful of sports brands improved the training experience of a lot of regular people. It’s win-win: certainly it’s no accident that these running groups work out along the parks that line the main road out of the city. To the onlooker in traffic they’re a brand in action. 

>> Ala and mothers

Ala is Unilever’s second tier washing powder in Argentina, but it uses Persil’s “Dirt is Good” platform in its campaign.

In 2007 Ala hosted a conference on the importance of play in a healthy childhood. It was part of a global study commissioned by Unilever but the delivery of the conference seemed far from brand motivated. Interested mothers crowded the auditorium, and the take-home packs included not sachets of Ala, (they saved the sampling for women in areas who really need it) but information on independent programmes dedicated to healthy, educational activities for kids.  

Ala is by far the leader in washing detergent sales in Argentina.

 

>> Mimo & Co: Wealthy parents trust them with their children

After decades of bad government it’s not surprising that people are ready to trust brands over institutions. Mimo & Co is an upmarket children’s clothing chain with boutiques across Latin America and in the US. They have built their image from their humble foundations 40 years ago through constant dialogue with parents. In recent years they have appeared at the annual Argentine Polo Open where they provide an outdoor children’s crèche complete with activities. Child care is not taken lightly in Argentina, yet stylish couples happily drop their little ones off in the care of minders vetted only by the fashion label.

Comments

[Charles]

Good read that. Thanks!

[Tiffany]

thanks for letting me know you liked it!

:)