WOW Branding Blog

The 3 basics of brave brands

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:19:00 GMT

By: Andrea Shillington
Whether you’re an entrepreneur working on your next big idea or the leader of a well established company, in today’s world of choice, I’m sure, at some point you’ve contemplated how to stand out. Now, we are not just talking about how to be better at this, or best at that; we are talking about boldly going where no brand, in your industry, has gone before.

We boil it down to three simple basics:
1. Start with a genuine purpose (other than to just make money).
2. Get specific about who will buy (even more specific than that).
3. Be truthful, courageous and consistent when you go to market- loose the hyperbole and marketing speak.

To illustrate this point, let’s talk about one of the most saturated markets on the planet: coffee. Vancouver based Ethical Bean delivers its promise boldly starting with its name right through to its charitable work on a local and global scale. In this case, the company is born from its desire to make a difference in the world of coffee. From freeing farmers of harmful pesticides to leaving a minimal impact on the environment. Ethical Bean is about much more than taste, roasting and the latest flavour shot. As a result of their ethical cause, they are capturing the hearts of coffee drinkers who actually care about what they put in their bodies, where things come from and how it impacts the planet. Furthermore, Ethical Bean expresses themselves by speaking the truth. It’s not just marketing speak existing on a few items, no one can remember or care about. Their Tagline “Just. Better” is a promise. A promise by which the company behaves, makes difficult decisions and chooses to live by everyday.

There are many other, bigger companies with far deeper pockets like Starbucks offering ethical, organic and environmentally friendly products. What makes Ethical Bean stand out: is that they have started with a genuine purpose; chosen a specific audience; and are delivering on their promise with every package, bean and QR code. They are doing it better because they are being bolder about their beliefs and backing up their claims with real actions. As customers, we have no reason not to believe them. No reason to think its yet another green washing parade.

Ethical Bean is a product that has and will continue to disrupt people's choices and attract like minded people. We give them an A+ on being a brave brand.

If this article peaked your curiosity you may also be interested reading…
Blue Ocean Strategy
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Winning Without Pitching by Blair Enns

Or just speak to us!

The Canucks: A brand we believe in

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:39:00 GMT

By: Andrea Shillington

Today, the whole of Vancouver is exuding their pride and emotional investment in the outcome of the Canuck’s final chance to win the 2011 Stanley Cup. Even those people whose lives haven’t revolved around hockey since the fall,
are surely fans now.

Fanatical behaviour has reached an all time high. People are wearing blue and green (even at Everest base camp). Hitch hiking from Winnipeg to Vancouver. Getting off work early. Screaming at the TV. Paying $3000 for a ticket or $90,000 for a box. But, these are just the things we do when we BELIEVE. As the hours draw closer to 5pm, there is a palpable feeling in the air. A feeling that connects us because “We are all Canucks” (a brilliant Tagline). As more and more of us become a Canuck, we too get to bask in their success. We get to be proud of how far we’ve come in the playoffs. We get permission to believe in ourselves. We get bragging rights. Because, tonight, we could all be winners!

The Canuck’s brand success is no accident. After all, they’ve certainly managed to capture the hearts of their target audience and far beyond. Starting at the top with the leadership. Owners who are passionate about the team. Coaches who have made critical decisions and shown their unwavering support for players (even when a certain goalie drops the ball in game 6). The team is sticking together and clearly aligned, even in the most difficult moments of their careers.

We also have players who are committed to Vancouver and acting like the hero’s we believe them to be. Through reaching out to the community to raise millions of dollars to help sick children. All the way down to authentic fan stories like the green men who now entertain us at each game. Plus, of course, they have proven themselves, game after game, to be one of the best, if not THE BEST team in the NHL. The Canuck’s have it right at every level. Dare I say it, no matter if we win or loose tonight. The die hard fans, will continue to believe in their beloved Canucks team next season. That’s what you do when you love, you forgive mistakes.

So, tonight, as WE score the goals ask yourself how you can turn customers into devoted fans? How could your brand inspire people to believe? And, what should your fans believe IN?

Go Canucks! Go!

Start with a genuine purpose

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:15:00 GMT

By: Andrea Shillington
Without a meaningful purpose that is real to you, you can’t know how to be the leader you know you can be. But once you discover it, there will be no stopping you or the movement your purpose creates.

When we get started in our careers, few of us are fortunate to know our purpose, so instead we are driven by a lifestyle. To travel the world. A red sports car. A white picket fence. And so, we set out into the world to create the world we envision living. We choose an educational path. We apply for jobs. We work hard. We get promoted. Some of us are even brave enough to set up our own companies. But, as we climb Maslow’s mountain of needs, we inevitably get to the point where we want self-fulfillment from our work.

A desire to inspire people. To give back. To be remembered for something great. And that need, whatever it is, just won’t shut up.

In essence, it's our own purpose that we seek. Why are we here on this planet? Why do we work other than to make money? What drives us day after day? What is it about work that inspires you? Inspires others? Fills us with energy and passion?

Have you heard of Tom’s? It’s just a simple shoe company selling canvas flats. They are no Jimmy Choo that’s for sure. But, they sure are creating one hell of a movement! And it all started with the intention to help children around the world. Tom’s one for one policy assures that for every one pair of shoes purchased, a pair of shoes is provided to a child in need. In this case, Tom’s has created global success in the fashion industry by focusing on selling their purpose.
Without question, there are many successful and hugely profitable companies without a purpose other than to make money. But would they be missed if they were gone tomorrow? For those of you who know your purpose is bound for greatness, our world is starving for more inspirational stories like Tom’s. How can you turn your business into a cause?

6 Surefire Ways to Make Sure Your Rebrand Fails

Fri, 06 May 2011 18:05:00 GMT

By: Dann llicic
Going through the rebranding process in your organization can be tough, even if everything goes smoothly. In our experience, there are six things that usually get in the way and we want you to be aware of them.

1- The CEO or leadership team is not involved

Too often we see the rebranding efforts beginning in the marketing department instead of with the CEO. Branding is a CEO level initiative because it deals with the fundamental definition and expression of the business. The brand consultant is the worst person to deliver the brand to the organization. It can ONLY be delivered by the CEO as an expression of their vision for the organization’s future

2- There is no budget allocated

Not having a budget for the rebrand usually means that the project has not been taken seriously yet. Yes, there will be strategy and design fees but the bigger costs come in the implementation and execution. How tragic it is to go through all the work and then to find out that there is no money to execute properly.

3- No internal point person to drive the rebranding implementation from the inside

Most brand consultants and designers are wonderful people but they cannot successfully govern the intricacies and politics of your organization alone. Either the CEO or someone closely linked and authorized by the CEO must drive the process for it to be taken seriously.

4- No visual evidence of change

If you’re going to go through the effort of rebranding then it must be as conspicuous as possible. The brand does not exist in the words in a policy manual (of course you do need one of those too) it must exist where people will notice and feel it. New paint, new logo, rearranging furniture, new signage and a host of other tangible changes let people know that the rebrand is real and alive.

5- Not having a roll-out plan

When will the rebrand be complete? How and when will we tell our staff?How and when will we tell our customers and clients? How will we tell the public? If these questions are not answered from the beginning then all kinds of hell can break loose. If the roll-out needs to happen over time then that must be communicated clearly to all involved. Having a plan and somebody accountable for executing it will give all stakeholders comfort that the rebranding efforts will stick and be meaningful.

6- Not enforcing the company values

If the hiring, firing and overall operations are not rooted in the company’s core values then it is unlikely that anyone inside will take it seriously. The values must be conspicuously displayed for everyone to see (not just in the employee welcome handbook or policy manual). It is not uncommon for some people to quit once the company’s values have clearly been articulated - but in general these people quit a long time ago - they just still happen to be drawing a paycheck though. The best companies make a big deal about their values and look for those traits and evidence in the people that work for them. Remember that it is your people that deliver the brand experience of your company and that experience, if it is to be consistent, must be based on the core values of your organization.

Delivery is more important than branding - it IS your brand!

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:18:00 GMT

I just had one of those great customer experiences that are worthy of a blog post. The interesting part is that I actually never spoke to a live person at any point and I am still blown away.

I bought a pair of soccer cleats for my ever growing 10yr old son from SoccerPro, an online retailer based in Missouri. The prices were fair and the site was easy to use but that's not what compelled me to write this. This company is full of personality and it is clear to me that they have made a decision to make every possible interaction surprisingly great.

I'm always grateful to get acknowledgement that my order was received and shipped, but check out this order confirmation excerpt:

Dann,

Your order #xxxxx , has been fully shipped. Shout out loud! Give someone a hug! Or, get back to work...your call. Either way, we don't judge.

This gear is important and you probably want an official-sounding shipping summary. Hold onto your mouse pad cause here comes the fancy stuff.

Shipment Details:

Your order is being shipped to:

Dann Ilicic
XXXXXX
XXXXXX

We absolutely love having you as a customer!

Talk Soon,

Sergio

I actually believe that they "love having me as a customer" and I am generally cynical about these types of statements. Even when the package arrived, there was an "unofficial envelope" inside the box with a lollipop and the best "terms and conditions" policy I've ever seen - soccerpro.pdf.

How can you not love a company that has a Department of Surprise and Delight? I've already told everyone on my son's team about how great it is to deal with SoccerPro and I'll definitely be buying there again.

Sometimes clients think that better branding is the answer to their business problems, but let me say that branding is really about turning your truth (what's already real and great about you) into your competitive advantage. If your service or product sucks, then branding is the last place you should spend your money.

One of the greatest enjoyments I get out of the work we do for clients is to get their delivery aligned with their brand promise. It is the single biggest impact I think the branding process can have. Do you believe enough in your own brand promise to fully take on the risk of of the promise? Does your brand have a personality that comes through in every interaction? Are you hiring people that "are" that personality? Now, go deliver.

Our Canadian Brand Essence - By Andrea Shillington

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:42:00 GMT

Our Canadian Brand Essence

by Andrea Shillington

February 28th, 2010 marked the day of something new, something special, something found in us all. It will be remembered as the day our Canadian pride reached an all time emotional high. All across the world, people gathered, and Canada’s national pride came to life with a “Go Canada”.

I was fortunate to be one of the many people pouring onto the streets of downtown Vancouver, just minutes after Crosby scored the golden goal for Canada. Entranced by the smiles, random hugs, high-fives, cheers and the instant friends gained. I was infected by the natural high of our shared joy.

Looking back on my pictures of Vancouver’s streets, from the opening ceremonies to closing, it’s evident that something changed. What few high fives I gave and received on the first day of the Olympics, became thousands on the last. What streets were once crowded in dark winter wear, turned to a sea of red and white. What Canadian wear was once a memento turned into a patriotic fashion parade: flags as capes and maple leaf makeup. Anything really, as long as it was red and white.

Post gold, I can’t help but wonder what it was? At first, it was our athlete’s perseverance and courage that struck an emotional chord. Then the sunny skies that put a spotlight over our lands picturesque backdrop and throughout it all, moments on the podium turned us all into winners.

But, what piece of the Olympic magic can we hold onto beyond this day? What is it that makes us so proud to be Canadian? What momentum can we continue to build in our great country? What makes us different than any other nation in the world? What binds us at our maple leaf-loving core?

Please share your thoughts with us. Let’s continue to build what we started.

Brand over-protection inspires creative abuse

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:32:00 GMT

Some of you may have heard about the scuffle between Vancouver Olympics officials and local apparel manufacturer Lululemon over the latter’s sneaky way of referring to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics without actually referring to the event by name. Lululemon Athletica has come up with a cheeky clothing line that’s named “Cool Sporting Event That Takes Place in British Columbia Between 2009 & 2011 Edition.” Olympic officials were quick to lash out at what they called “rogue advertising” but Lululemon denied the name was a brazen bid to circumvent Vancouver 2010’s vigorous brand protection policies.

Everybody knows how seriously Olympic officials take their brand’s symbols and insignias, they are sacred and untouchable, and they come out with all their legal might after anyone that tries to dilute, defile or associate themselves with any Olympic symbol without paying the hefty corporate sponsor fees. This includes any mention of anything resembling mount Olympus, any image resembling the Olympic rings, The torch and even the words Vancouver 2010. Local Vancouver Greek restaurant Olympia has been in battle with Vanoc for years over the use of the Olympic torch and the rings in their signage which have been in use for many years but became an issue when it was known that the Olympics are coming to Vancouver in 2010. Olympia restaurant stood their ground and refused to budge to Vanoc demands, they started collecting signatures from people and eventually got their way and kept their signs. This may have opened a Pandora’s box of abusers and it may have encouraged Lululemon to go ahead with their cheeky attack.

While I think that protecting your brand is important for companies, but when it goes too far, when large organizations use excessive legal force and financial muscles to come after small shops. They end up being perceived as an overgrown Goliath, and that can end up hurting their own brand and even in some cases promoting the attacker’s brand, if only in the eyes of a certain segment of the market. Lululemon realized that, and also realized there is a relatively significant segment of the market that is somewhat anti Olympic, and decided to capitalize on that. Not to mention the buzz that was caused by the controversy alone.

So if you decide to pull a fight over an insulted brand, Use your discretion to do so but subtly and gently and don’t make such a loud fuss, otherwise you will hurt your own brand and damage your own image.

Whose Differentiation strategy is better: PC or MAC

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:04:00 GMT

I am sure all of you have seen the Mac/ PC commercials where you see Mac's point of view: where it's the reliable, cool and hip versus the unreliable, clunky and old school operating system! And I am sure you have to agree that Mac has a much better differentiation strategy than the PC, but why is it still a PC dominated world. Maybe Macs position of pointing out all the pains and frustrations are just not to convert users? Maybe people don’t care for an unreliable operating system - but rather they are scared of change. Or maybe, like the cell phone, people want to upgrade their operating system - so they can get the next cool trend.

Brand evangelists and marketers can all agree that Apple has done a brilliant job of differentiating themselves by merely simplifying an operating system and reinforcing it with great customer service. Although we constantly see Microsoft upgrade their processor - they still don’t change their service model or fix the “buggy, crashing” operating system. Why is that. Do they know they are giving Apple a competitive edge... Do they even care?

One has to wonder who will win and rule the computing world?

Yes Macs are cool and PC’s are more prone to crashes and viruses - but yet there are significantly more PC users than Mac users, at least 70% according to one statistic. So whose brand is stronger? The fact that the PC does very little to defend itself makes me wonder why everyone isn’t on a Mac already... The campaign has been going since 2006. But then I realize that "PC" is not even an actual brand that belongs to one company; therefore it cannot stand up and defend itself against the onslaught of Mac inspired insults. Microsoft occasionally takes the helm, these days with their I'm a PC and I'm 5 years old.

It’s similar to the Volkswagen trend, and the movement that followed when they first made their comeback in the car world. Volkswagen created a Jetta club - the trendy, urbanites drive Jetta's; this was their differentiation strategy to give re-birth to an old, tired brand. We have been witnessing these cool trend setting brands for years - but is it really enough to gain market share over competition or is it merely just a trend that will pass? I mean really - you have to admit - there are way more geeky computer nerds than cool, creative computer guys.

I was a PC user but switched to Mac, and I am happy about it. I mean, the time I save on my Mac versus a PC because of crashing and virus scans, I was able to finally take a vacation!!!

I am young - I am cool... hey! I am a Mac!
Will this message alienate the Old, Traditional, Corporate types that don't consider themselves super cool? i.e. big businesses. and eventually drive them into the arms of their good old PC.? The devil they know all too well.

My date with branding.

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:21:00 GMT

Recently after being in a long-term relationship I found myself to be fabulously free and single. As an out-going, independent, modern gal my first instinct to meet new people was to go through the inconspicuous, the “be-who-I-want-to-be” route of on-line dating. Through this experience I became acutely aware of all the branding involved in this modern world of dating.

At my disposal the three dating services that popped out at me were Plenty of Fish, Lavalife and E-harmony. In short, Plenty of Fish resembles the traditional night club of the dating scene, Lavalife’s positioned as a urban online lounge or a trendy coffee shop and E-harmony has replaced the traditional “meeting through friends” scene. Not only are the on-line dating companies specialized and target specific, I too was becoming a commodity.

After a couple of weeks of sending smiles, “ping-ing” people, or checking profile photos and passing judgement, I found myself browsing and selecting potential candidates with no substance or merit. I was picking out my ideal man like I was shopping at the grocery store - looking for good colour, freshness and ideally, some firmness.

In the end I came to the conclusion that online dating only succeeds through our failure and desperation of finding the “happily ever after”. It does amaze me how consumed we - social interactive beings- have been trained to communicate with the least amount of effort ever. We have become a digitized generation, lowering our social skills through the use of social online networks.

After my experiences online this fabulous commodity has gone offline, appreciating the real life - with real people.

To be continued....

Is Bing a good name for Microsoft's search offering?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:39:00 GMT

Anytime Microsoft does anything to challenge Google, it always makes for interesting news. Last week the New York Times did a story on Bing — the new name for Microsoft Live search.

What struck me about the article had nothing to do with the name itself, but rather the asinine comment from Peter Sealey, Coca-Cola's former chief marketing officer who said " Microsoft should have picked a name that more directly connotes search... it's going to be an enormous expense to create an image for this thing called Bing."

I can't help but wonder what Mr. Sealey would have preferred. Perhaps something like InfoSeek of SearchSoft would have suited him better. The truth is most people gravitate towards names that are descriptive because they "get it" instantly, but those are also the names that are most forgettable.

There are endless examples of successful companies that violate someone's idea of what a good name should be. As a naming professional, I can tell you that the name is nowhere near as important as the quality and distinctiveness of the offering from that company. As of right now, Bing does not provide much of a reason to switch from Google — at least not one that I know of.

According to Mr. Sealey's logic, there would be no Apple's, Yahoo's or even Google's for that matter. Names need to be memorable instead of descriptive, evocative instead of generic, brave instead of safe.

So is Bing a good name for a search engine? Sure why not. Can Bing outsmart Google? Let's see. In the meantime, ask yourself what would it take for you to switch and if the name would have any influence on that.

Cause for a good business

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:53:00 GMT

My favorite entrepreneurial stories are those in which an undying faith and belief are required to combat the ridicule of doing something different. Casting the right vision and purpose for a company has to come from somewhere deep inside if it is going to be completely authentic, meaningful and sustainable.

I came across TomsShoes.com—a company founded by Blake Mycoskie and built on a very compelling brand promise. For every pair of shoes you buy, they will send a pair to a child in a developing country as part of their One for One movement.

What's even more amazing is how many people have adopted the cause and joined Blake in bringing his vision to life. Take a quick look on YouTube and search for Toms Shoes and you'll find tons of videos that tell the story. High schools, colleges and even other businesses have seen the value or Blake's vision - not because it was sold to them, but because it struck a cord. His idea has become viral and as a result thousands of kids now have shoes.

So here are a few questions to ponder. What is your business doing that is meaningful? What is connecting your people inside and attracting customers? What would it take for others to make unsolicited videos about your company? What do you believe in?

Queensland 1, Alberta 0

Fri, 08 May 2009 22:45:00 GMT

If you follow the news (and you do..), you’ve probably seen the media hoopla around “the best job in the world”. It may be a job posting, but what it really is, is one of the most brilliant PR campaigns I’ve seen in a long time. The value of the global coverage and attention it has created, is beyond measurement. Queensland, Australia has been associated with the image of a tropical paradise in the minds of millions of people around the world. It probably is (Great Barrier Reef and all..), but know we all know.

Enter Alberta, Canada. Another part of the world that have been blessed with jaw dropping scenic beauty. Recently this Canadian province launched a new website promoting Alberta. It also got a lot of attention, but for the wrong reasons. It turned out that one of the photos used on the site was, in fact, showing a British landscape. And all hell broke loose.

Yes, it does seem a bit weird to use a photo from the UK to portrait the natural wonders of Alberta. Authenticity being the key word.

But that’s not my point.

Both Queensland and Alberta had the same objective and the same tactic. How the hell do we break through the noise and get some attention (and tourist dollars..) going our way? Let’s have a website developed and support with some PR. The similarities stop there.

What a different approach - and result. One being truly innovative and putting Queensland on the dream destination map. The other being painfully traditional and executed in a way, that gave it it’s 15 minutes of fame for all the wrong reasons.

Game over.

Understanding why we buy—Words Matter

Fri, 08 May 2009 16:59:00 GMT

I came across an interesting article today on CanadaOne.com that I believe we all should read titled 7 things you need to know about why people buy. Although all the points hit home, the two that really struck me from a branding perspective were #5 Framing and #6 Too Many Choices.

The concept of framing deals with how messages get communicated and more importantly, the influence that message can have on our decisions. We constantly get challenged by our clients to help them figure out "what" to say about their company or products, but that's only half the battle—it's equally important to nail how to say it. Once you've figured out "what" you want to say, make it a practice to brainstorm at least 10 ways to say it. Never write without first thinking about the outcome, action or effect on the reader. I've copied the section below form the article that illustrates how much words can matter:

"The way a question is framed can strongly influence how someone responds, especially when there is risk involved, for example the purchase of an expensive item.

Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman pioneered research in this area and are famous for their Asian flu experiment, where two groups were asked to select a program to combat a fictional flu expected to kill 600 people in the U.S.

Group 1 were presented with a choice between two programs:

Program A: "200 people will be saved"
Program B: "there is a one-third probability that 600 people will be saved, and a two-thirds probability that no people will be saved"

72 percent of participants preferred program A.

Group 2 were presented with the choice between:

Program C: "400 people will die"
Program D: "there is a one-third probability that nobody will die, and a two-third probability that 600 people will die"

78 percent preferred program D.

Altering the way the two options were phrased did not just change, but actually reversed participant's perception of the two options.

The way that you frame your marketing message can have a powerful impact on its ability to influence your customers, particularly if a decision comes with financial risk."

The concept of offering too many choices (product offerings) to people is also interesting. One of the biggest fears I see in our clients is keeping things simple. I believe you need to be brave to limit your offerings and get off the "if we show them everything, then they're more likely to pick something" mentality. This is true of product placement, your website and even your proposals. Is it clear what you're offering and are you making it easy to buy. Take a look at this excerpt below on the "jam" experiment and see if anything hits home:

A jam experiment conducted by Sheena S. Iyengar and Mark R. Lepper demonstrated that more choices might attract more attention, but fewer choices increased sales.

The researchers set up a tasting booth for exotic jams at a high end grocery store and rotated the display so that either 6 or 24 flavours of jam were on display. All consumers could sample as many of the jams as they wanted and everyone who approached the booth was given a coupon.

Ivengar and Lepper found that having a bigger selection of jams attracted more people to the booth: 60 per cent of the customers who passed the booth stopped when 24 varieties were on display, compared to 40 per cent when 6 jams were out.

Yet when it came to sales, the smaller selection won the day. Thirty per cent of people who stopped by the limited selection actually purchased a jar of jam, compared to just 3 per cent for those who stopped by the table when 24 choices were on display.

"This is kind of the conundrum of too much choice," said Ariely. "It attracts to people but then they end up doing nothing."

If you are trying to sell something you have to understand how complexity is working both for and against you. For example, having too many choices on your website may encourage customers to browse, yet deter them from actually buying.

Reducing the number of choices can not only increase sales, but it may help you save money as well as you will be focused on a small portfolio of products and services.

Packaging vs. Product

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:22:00 GMT

I'm sure that most of you have seen the Susan Boyle/Britain's Got Talent video by now on YouTube. I saw it last week when the views were fewer than 10 million and it has already surpassed 40 million. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out - it will make your day.

The video got me thinking about how important it is to have a good product and that ultimately product is more important than packaging. So much of marketing is based on inflated claims that it is nice to find something genuine and authentic - like Susan Boyle.

I'm not saying that packaging isn't important - it certainly is. My point is that when companies put more emphasis on their packaging (marketing claims) than their product, it creates the disappointment we've all experienced. When it comes to brand building, we coach our clients to remember that the brand is made up of two parts: first, your ability to create an authentic, compelling and differentiating promise (package) that people give a shit about; and second, your ability to organize yourself around the delivery of that promise. I think we can all agree that Susan certainly delivered.

How's your promise and delivery doing? Are they aligned? Are you sure?

Your product failed – and I love it!

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:05:00 GMT

Low expectations are fertile ground for growing brand loyalty.

Companies spend a lot of money creating awareness and desire for their brands. Building positive expectations before the purchase. And so they should.

But here’s the catch, if the company fulfills its promise (price, service, quality, etc.) it merely lives up to what is already expected from its customer base. The customer is satisfied, but is not turned into a raving fan, passionately promoting the experience and the brand to anyone who cares to listen. There’s not a lot of brand equity to win by just doing what’s expected.

Now, at some point most products or services (if not all..) will fail in some area. Or, to put it in brand lingo terms, the product does not live up to its brand promise; the battery on your Mac laptop suddenly dies, the air-condition in your Toyota goes cold, the concierge at your hotel forgets to give you that wake-up call.

Not only is that annoying in itself, but the process of fixing the problem is in most cases the real pain in the...

For instance, your 14 month old vacuum cleaner sucks.. and not the way it’s supposed to. The mouth piece breaks in two and all you can do is vacuum small circular areas the size of a golf ball.
Now, subconsciously you’ve already gone through the scenario: Trying to find a relevant phone number on the manufacturer’s website, figuring out the specific part number, navigating through their phone maze, shipping the broken piece and finally getting the new part delivered straight to your front door - when you are not at home. In other words, you expect an experience you could do without.

And, this is where the opportunity is. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer has a perfect occasion to turn you into a raving fan of the brand by having a post-sales system in place that eliminates those steps mentioned above. Simply because you don’t expect to be wow’ed.

Here’s an example from my own world. I recently had a new faucet installed in my kitchen. About six months later the shower head (yes, it came with that..) didn’t work and I was immediately dreading an experience similar to the vacuum cleaner spiel. But to my great surprise, and relief, it turned out to be a completely hassle-free experience. No sending parts back and forth, no trying to find the receipt or arguing that it was covered by warranty. Just a quick phone call to a very nice sales person, and three days later the part was delivered to my home at a scheduled time.

I had never heard of this particular brand before, had no emotional connection to it, even though I use the faucet every day. But the fact that it broke down, or rather, the fact that Pegasus (for that is it’s name) had a system in place that completely wiped out my (negative) expectations, and transformed me from a brand ignorant to a brand evangelist for the company. No marketing dollars they could have spend, could have placed the brand so effectively on my short list as this post-sales system taking advantage of my pre-conceived, negative, expectations.

And next time I, or anyone I know, need a product within their range, you bet I’ll be a passionate Pegasus brand evangelist. The product failed, the brand prevailed.