The Brands We love and Why!

Two of my favorite brands are Starbucks and Apple Store. In the book titled "The Power of Co-Creation" the authors talk about how these two brands (and others) have embraced a concept of co-creation to build huge successes.

Starbucks, an experience wrapped in a cup!

I first became a fan of Starbucks not because of the coffee but because of a segment on a Sunday morning show about how they treat their partners (employees) with respect and dignity. They are one of the most progressive employers in the U.S. and that really matters to me.

In 2008 Starbucks had to deal with "the perfect storm." The economy collapsed and the competition became fierce. They didn’t take it lying down. In 2008 they went interactive launching MyStarbucksIdea.com where everyone was invited to help "co-shape" it’s future. In the first year, 65,000 ideas had been submitted and 658,000 votes were cast. In 2009, 50 of the ideas had been approved and began launching. Then, they used their power to do good by launching "Pledge 5.starbucks.com" (ok it didn’t hurt PR either) where fans were asked to donate their time to community service. The result, by fall 2009, 1 million service hours were pledged. No one can say for sure but I believe these initiatives helped them turn a corner and in 2010 they returned to profitability.

The Apple Store, delighting our inner child!

Just step inside any Apple store and observe the level of positive energy. It’s no accident, Apple stores were designed to make customers feel comfortable; to play with the toys, interact with staff or just read their email. During a visit to Atlanta during the holidays, I had a great conversation with my cousin who has always loved Apple products. He was the first person I knew to purchase an iphone, he waited on line for 7 hours to get it and Apple served everyone breakfast (talk about putting a positive spin on a long wait). When the ipad was launched, he stood in line again. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that when he semi-retired from his successful career he decided to work part-time at an Apple store just for fun. Yes, I said fun! His excitement is contagious as he shares the relationships Apple creates with employees, and the meaningful two-way interactions it fosters with its clients.

Impressively, according to Ramaswamy and Gouillart "Apple embraced co-creation to enhance the speed and scope of its innovation, generating over $1 billion for its App-Store partner-Developers in two years." Not bad!

So, what have I taken away from Starbucks' and Apple’s roaring success? For me, it’s working to create a culture where staff and clients can comfortably interact, learn and even disagree. In the end it’s all about everyone flourishing.

Do you have a story about your favorite brand, please share.

–Ann Byne, Principal, The Byne Group

The Magic of Powerful Branding:

What we can all learn from Walt Disney

In this economy we could all use a little bit of magic. And who better to teach us than the master of successful branding, Walt Disney.

I often talk about the importance of finding and then telling one story from many in order to inspire and engage clients. Walt Disney intuitively understood this. He was a master story teller who touched old and young and knew how to coordinate the Disney brand across all mediums; tv, movies, books, and ultimately theme parks.

I remember the first time our family visited Disneyworld over 30 years ago. Our son was 5 and it was our first real family vacation. All you have to know about a powerful brand was revealed as we first walked into the park and saw “The Castle” ahead of us. It was a transforming experience that become a happy obsession for our son. He now shares it with his 22 month old daughter who points to a picture on her sippy cup and gleefully and loudly announces “Mick Mou” as if she is seeing a favorite friend.

In an article in Harvard Business publishing, John Sviokla writes “As companies try to get their voice "out" in the overcrowded, fragmented, 24x7, blog-filled, multi-dialog, Mad Money Cramer kind of world of 2009, executives need to think carefully about their core stories to customers…..We can draw wisdom from Walt Disney, who understood the multi-media, multi-channel, multi-experience world four score years before the rest of us”

Some of the core branding principles John shares in his article:
1. Know the story is king.
Humans like to read about humans and whether you are selling CAT scanners, or auto insurance, every message must have a story that resonates with the human condition at its core.
2. Coordinate the message across the media.
In today's fragmented world, executives must reinforce key messages by having multiple, consistent, coordinated touch points for the same idea.
3. Have the courage to innovate.
Walt Disney initially funded portions of Disneyland out of his own pocket, and then sold them back to the corporation because they did not want to take the first risks. Be braver.
4. Stay on message.
With Disney, you only had to see the Castle to conjure up the entire set of thoughts and dreams.

Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal
The Byne Group

Are You on a Tight Budget?

Times like these you need to be more creative with your budget. The good news is that email marketing can fit into most anyone's budget. Wikipedia explains that email marketing is a form of direct marketing, which uses electronic mail as a means of communicating commercial or fundraising messages to your customers/clients. You can achieve a big bang for a small price while getting out relevant messages, achieving brand appeal and the ability to measure it all.

• Reduce Other Costs_ Think about what you are printing: holiday cards, invitations, newsletters. Could these be emailed? Of course they can.

• Get Valuable Info_ Using email you can obtain valuable stats and watch response rates in real time. With this information you can easily tweak your emails, see what is working and not working with your client/customer base.

• Build Brand Loyalty_ With email you can keep current clients/customers happy and engaged. Reward loyal customers, but keep it interesting.

• Do's and Don'ts – Use Email The Right Way
DON'T buy/rent an email list
DON'T send emails everyday
DO be client/customer specific
DO keep your focus on a permission-based strategy
DO make it fun and different

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer