Archive for May, 2007
Experience Westin online
May 18th, 2007 • 5 comments Culture Briefings
I have been reading A new brand world, by Scott Bedbury. Bedbury was the creative mind at Nike and Starbucks before starting his own brand consultancy, BrandStream. His book is the proponent of the idea of brand environmentalism. Very simply put, (in Bedbury’s words) Everything matters- – even the restrooms. If he were to re-write the book, I am confident he would have a seperate chapter on the digital experience of a brand. Here’s why.
The hospitality industry could learn a thing or two from StarWood Hotels for literally by-hearting the ‘everything matters’ mantra. First, Westin (owned by Starwood) introduced the heavenly bed and the heavenly crib — then they pioneered the white tea scent at their Westin hotels.. more recently, they launched www.findrenewal.com – a renewal council of six lifestyle experts that in addition to sharing their tips online will form an exclsuive, in-room TV channel for Westin hotels. The first thought that occured to me was – wow, why didn’t any hotel think of this before! The website will work both as an extension to the in-room entertainment and as a welcoming micro-site to introduce potential Westin customers to the Westin experience.
What makes this website even better, is that my super cool friends at Electric Artists developed this site. Electric Artists were the same guys who bravely launched Aloft hotels in SecondLife before launching it in real life.
I’m not too sure how strong and original the content on the site will be – the council certainly have the ‘celebrity’ quality to them. But since the site just launched, my hunch is they will adapt to how their audiences respond.
It tires me when in every single book about branding, identity and brand experience – Starbucks is used as a case-study. I suppose Westin gives these branding experts a new case to ponder over?!
PS- If you haven’t ready Scott Bedbury’s book, ‘A new brand world ‘ — do it now!
UPDATE: I am not surprised at all to learn this but turns out Scott Bedbury actually helped rebrand all five of the Starwood brands just 2 years ago!! It’s just there you know….Starwoods has it.. that ‘it’ factor… that ‘bedbury’ touch.
Swap or sell?
May 18th, 2007 • 1 comment Culture Briefings
Yesterday I dropped in at the student exhibition at University of the Arts. A bunch of book-making students had their wares for display and for sale. A particularly engaging letter-press card set by a female student caught my eye and I asked her if she owned her own business. She shrugged and as though the idea was totally alien to her, said, ‘ I’m still in school. I’m a junior." The quality and sophistication of her work suggested otherwise or maybe I was just feeling so awed by the creative energy in the room and the intellectual breadth of these students, that I was unable to differentiate between professional and student work.
As I looked through other student’s displays, my ears caught a lingering piece of conversation the junior was having with her next-table neighbor. It went something like this,
Next Door neighbour: so did you sell anything?
Junior female: A little… but I made tons of REALLLY COOOOOOL swaps.
Next door neighbour: Yes!! Swaps are wayy coooler.
I was sort of bemused to hear this. In such a creatively charged atmosphere — there was little to none importance given to the monetary aspect of the product. What got these students more excited were the swaps they made with one another. A poster in exchange for a set of cards — or a letterpressed book in exchange for a framed photograph. The swapstories go on.
I wondered why ’swaps’ were cooler than ‘being paid’ for your work. And that’s when it occured to me, swapping is such a strong two-way exchange of likeminded synergies. Whether it is a mutual relationship that two brands agree upon without exchanging any money, or two budding entrepreneurs swapping their skills to move further — I found this phenomena way more exciting than a simple commerical transaction. When no money exchanges hands – parties are more involved in each other’s works and the feeling of ‘connected-ness’ is definitely more pronounced.
In other news, University of the Arts has created The Center for Creative Economy to focus on driving creative growth in Philadephia and beyond. On May 22nd (Tuesday) the visionary economist and professor Richard Florida will be speaking at the University about his concept. I will be there and would love to meet up if any of you plan on being there.
A brand extension for soda manufacturer
May 7th, 2007 • Culture Briefings
In no time, fashion and beauty magazines will be buzzing about the new line of ‘innovative’ skincare from PepsiCo’s Aquafina brand.
Beauty and cosmetics are affordable luxury (last year the luxury market in USA grew by almost 27%) and Aquafina was extremely smart to have recognized this opportunity to allign their brand meaningfully with this particular extension. Also, it’s not like Aquafina developed the line of beauty products in-house — they are licsensed from a third-party which not only saved Aquafina the R&D efforts and money behind launching a beauty brand, but will also rake in revenues from royalties. The beauty product line titled, Aquafina Advanced Hydration RX includes the typical products (cleasners, toners, creams, masks ) and a couple in the anti-aging category.
It doesn’t amaze me that packaged and bottled water has become a multi-million dollar industry. I think Aquafina is certainly cashing in on it’s percieved brand value and the continous growth expected in this industry. I love Aquafina — the water, the design of the bottle, the cool associated with the brand. And what gives– I might even sample the skincare when it launches. (but knowing it was licsensed makes me less willing to do so)
In other news — I wrote about drinkable skincare a while ago — and now even the major players like Coca Cola and L’Oreal are joining the bandwagon. Word is, the two giants are teaming up to launch Lumae, a Borba-like beverage that is designed to benefit the skin.
Luxury in the skies
May 4th, 2007 • 2 comments Culture Briefings
Jet Airways, an Indian air-line is perhaps among the first to launch a mini-suite that features an 83 inch bed and mini-office of sorts in a private enclosed area. A return flight from London to Delhi can cost as much as 4500 pounds (almost $8500). These mini-suites come with a 23 inch flat screen TV, Dom Perignon and Krug are on the menu and food is served on expensive Bernardaud porcelain.
Jet Airways have always claimed to be India’s finest airline and although I have a very brief one-time experience of traveling in a Jet Airways flight, it is an experience that I still remember vividly and positively. India’s booming economy and the gradual rise of international companies in India, the introduction of high-end mini-suites is just the beginning. As the line between India’s middle class and the upper classes blurs even more, there will be a swifter graduation of such luxury services, experiences and products.
Nightclub marketing
May 4th, 2007 • 1 comment Marketing/ Advertising
Studio 54 days may never return, but innovative nightclub owners and promotion companies are inventing their own recipes to drive traffic and create that unique buzz around their club. Here are some rather interesting tactics I learned about recently,
- Polaroids: A close friend in Australia runs a promotion and marketing firm. He alerted me to a cool idea he recently introduced to clubs in Melbourne – taking Polaroids at nightclubs and selling them in club branded inlets for $5. What a brilliant way to market the club and add that extra pizzaz? Digital and phone cameras have wiped off the old-world charm of polaroids, but like the photo-booth that is climbing up the popularity charts again, the polaroid is back into fashion. An impulsive moment captured on film when surrounded by foot-tapping music, fun-loving people and a couple drinks !
- Digital downloads: Another club in London actually has it’s own crowd take random photographs of the crowd on a digital camera that are later uploaded to a site. If you were at the club the night before, you are welcome to download your photos (if any!) from the site for free!
- Invisible stamps: The same friend who is now in Australia pioneered a new way to issue an invisible ‘entry stamp’ on nightclub crowds, who he noticed were always grumbling about the permanence of the stamp. Now clubs use a special ink that is visible only under a green laser light. (That also keeps unsuspecting parents from thinking about their daughter’s whereabouts in Indian households!)
- Commercialized Stamps: A club in Mumbai actually came up with this innovative stamp that said, "Don’t Drink & Drive. Call a cab" and then provided the preferred cab-company’s phone number. Very innovative: conscious capitalism!
- SMS Marketing – Send special entry passwords and drink coupons via SMS to preferred guests .
Can you think of any other cool ideas?