Building brand devotion in a promiscuous consumer environment
Never before have we seen the huge disparity in consumer spending habits that we are currently experiencing.
It would have been almost unthinkable three years ago for a white-collar executive to redeem a group discount voucher in front of his friends at a fine dining restaurant – the very same executive who also purchased the new iPad 2 earlier that day.
Group buying websites, pop-up clearance stores and outlet shopping centres have rapidly emerged. Simultaneously, the rise of cult brands such as Apple and Chanel, are enjoying massive international sales and fanatical devotion from an ever-increasing customer base.
Consumer behaviour is driven by the individual brands that place their goods and services on the market.
Consumers' relationships with products and stores that sacrifice their brand integrity by regularly offering discounts and are always on sale is non committal and lethargic – they have been taught to expect that they should not have to pay for this product or service unless it is discounted, therefore rendering it less desirable.
The satisfaction of getting a favourite product on sale is easily replaced by dissatisfaction if one has to pay full price for it in the future. Brand allegiance is replaced by disloyalty and promiscuity as alternative products or services are always available for less elsewhere.
However, consumers have committed and often passionate relationships with the brands and products that they really love. They are happy to pay for them and they want the world to know about it. This has become highly evident by the rise in the number of product logos that are being ceremoniously tattooed onto body parts all over the developed world. That's lasting devotion.
To build this deep and lasting devotion among your customer base in the QSR space, it is imperative to review your brand personality and your customer relationships.
When you think of someone you are in a relationship with, it is often intangible qualities that hold the most appeal – how they make you feel, their sense of humour, their world view, their confidence.
• What intangible qualities does your brand have?
• What does your brand communicate to customers?
• Do you have a distinct brand personality with genuine values?
• Is your brand personality consistent with your market positioning?
• Do you offer products or services that your ideal customers could become fanatical about?
• Is your brand identity lovable?
When reviewing your brand personality, it is also important to ensure you do not sacrifice your price integrity in any marketing or promotional endeavours so you are not inadvertently judged as a 'cheap' or 'discount' brand – unless, of course, you are one. The distinct personality of a brand is allowed to shine through when it is free of discount messaging.
All shoppers, both instore and online, respond to the distinct personality of a retail organisation. Your branding, your website and your marketing material must all convey your position in the market and your brand values, and your products and services must be as good or better than your competitors – a unique and appealing brand can make a good product seem like a great product.
You must also think long term about the impression your promotional endeavours leave in the market place - ensure that you are always proud of everything that you launch into the public domain. Embrace social media and use it to help build authentic devotion to your brand as it is often the most intimate form of interaction you have with your customers and one that you simply don't have in a store environment. Communicate regularly so your followers feel that they are part of something.
Constantly review your brand and how it compares to your competitors. Do some research, conduct customer surveys and find out what consumers really think of you and what they would like from you. Lasting brand devotion will ensure a lasting brand.
If you would like more information about building lasting devotion to your brand, please contact Melissa Webber at Holy Cow! Design & Advertising on 02 9212 4676 or visit www.holycow.com.au.
Melissa Webber, Creative Director, Holy Cow! Design & Advertising
