The crisp autumn air brought forth the grassy, organic smell of nature. I stood in a field cultivated by the hands of the farmer who stood beside me speaking of the animals he raised. He shared details about the animals’ diet, the way they care for the soil, the chefs that value his products, and the work that goes into producing top-quality livestock. What he shared was interesting and insightful, but as I walked along the terrain at Autumn Olive Farms, I realized that he could have said nothing and I would have understood what the brand stood for simply from the surroundings.
The tour made the fabric of the company accessible and instantly a relationship was created.
Marketing strategy must evolve in today’s information rich environment. Companies that have put profit over serving customers and have not been upfront about their practices have degraded trust and consumers want to define brands for themselves based on their own terms. For established or new brands to be perceived as authentic, they need to rethink their marketing strategy and incorporate ways for customers to feel like they are on the inside instead of simply observing.
Autumn Olive Farms is an example of how that can take shape. By creating an experience where I could form my own opinion, the brand took on greater relevance and authenticity. While not all brands can have countryside tours that create a rich sensory experience, there are a number of ways that other brands are getting it right through digital channels, pop-ups and partnerships, and harnessing the power of peer-to-peer sharing.
1) Social media allows for brands to create meaningful virtual relationships.
Through an exchange of posts and comments, likes and replies, a conversation occurs and the medium visually, and sometimes audibly, invites consumers into the brand. Most brands have a presence on social media, but whether or not they are using the opportunity effectively is the key. In addition to having a clear content strategy, brands need to leverage the power of influencers appropriately. The key to brand authenticity is in the quality of those partnerships, the sponsored content that is produced, and the believability of the endorsement. Bob’s Red Mill (@bobsredmill) is an example of a company that is excelling with partnerships. The company’s Instagram feed is nearly entirely from content provided by third parties, all of whom have high social influence, and the posts are directly related to their products.
2) Pop-ups and flagship stores are marketing opportunities, not just sales channels.
Brands that operate primarily through wholesale or digital channels have an opportunity to connect with consumers through flagship brick-and-mortar stores and through pop-up experiences. Halo Top® Scoop Shops are great example of a marketing strategy aimed at creating an authentic brand experience for consumers. The low-calorie ice cream is typically sold through mass retail channels, and while the shops will certainly open up a new form of distribution for the company, it is primarily a marketing tool that allows customers to have a direct interaction with the company, customize their dessert, and create Instagrammable moments to share with others. Similarly, Goop, the online lifestyle brand, recently held its latest wellness summit, In Goop Health, in Vancouver featuring its staff doctors, promoting its content, and hosting pop-up retail experiences in the local area. These events allow for consumers at the local level to have a tangible experience with the brand, and it provides rich experiential content for its online and social channels.
3) Thoughtfully encourage customers to become advocates.
Effective marketing tactics don’t need to involve huge capital expenditures. Word-of-mouth advertising remains one of the most powerful channels and smart companies leverage these referral opportunities to reap healthy rewards. Brand-loyal consumers can become ambassadors for a company, sharing their message and endorsement with their peers, organically or with compensation. Kind Bars started off with this type of strategy many years ago and it continues to be effective for many companies today. Many brands, such as Biena Snacks, openly encourage consumers to become ambassadors on their website.
Marketing strategy is dynamic and should sustain not only revenue objectives but also brand management. Today’s environment creates new opportunities for companies to engage with their customers and build genuine relationships that support long-term brand loyalty.
By Kim Baker, Senior Consultant at Brand Federation. At Brand Federation, we bring together an alliance of independent thinkers united by passion for elevating brands and the organizations they represent. To find out more, visit us at www.brandfederation.com or email us at info@brandfederation.com. Also, you can follow Kim Baker on Instagram at @kasariconsulting
