Creme Egg Cafe, Sensory Marketing and Brand Experience

It is that time of the year again, Easter. Personally, the first thing I think about when Easter is discussed is chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. This year, well known chocolate creators, Cadburys decided to open up a pop up shop in Soho, London to do something new and different with their Easter favourite the crème egg. The shop is open for 7 weeks and allows consumers to try out recipes that have been chosen and created based on their online recommendations.

The Cafe in it's glory, from an outdoor perspective

 The shop shouts sensory marketing with their bright, well known colours: purple, red and yellow, which are plastered on the inside and the outside. The glass window on the shop front also allows people who are passing by to see what is inside. This is useful, as it can help Cadburys draw in attention, as the first thing they see when they peer in are words and people; firstly making them wonder what the commotion is all about and secondly drawing them in to read the bright font/happy typography.

 The idea that consumers can also smell the wonderful sensation of what is being cooked, hints that by exploiting an individual’s smell sense, they can be drawn in. This is especially beneficial when trying to make extra sales from people who are already part of the experience, for example, if a consumer takes a friend with them who may not be interested, the sight and smell of other people’s orders may produce a reaction from their senses, causing them to want to share the same experience that people around them are having. This therefore shows that by drawing someone into an experience through their senses can actually condition the individual to do something the brand wants them to. E.g. The smell of something tasty can make an individual want to eat, or watching someone eat one of the crème egg creations, which is only available for 7 weeks, may lead the individual to buying a product too.

Popular creation, the 'creme egg toastie'

The café has 3 different floors of experiences, including an interactive ball pit, which allows all consumers to have fun and gives them a physical, tangible activity to remember and feel. The addition of a ball pool adds extra value to the experience, as it is an opportunity for the adult consumers to have a laugh and bring back memories of when they were young and had their own ball pools to mess around in. This is a form of nostalgia, which creates a great brand experience, as it becomes active immersion. This is because it allows consumers to actively take part in activities, but also allows them to choose which floor of participation they want to be on e.g. café, cocktail bar or ball pool.

customer enjoying her experience

 I reckon it is quite easy to say that the Crème Egg café’s creative, experiential ideas have definitely helped then in sales and marketing departments, as the engagement of consumers has led to the company getting recognition online though: Youtube, newspapers, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and also blogs; thus helping them gain a better reputation and also creating brand loyalty or even advocacy through those who have participated and shared their happy experiences; hoping it will be back next year! 

Would anyone else want to go if they had the chance, or is it possible that the cafe is actually overrated because of the hype?

Battle of The Bands Huddersfield

This year, as a ‘Managing the Live Event’ assessment, I had the task of planning my own event with some group members and then bringing all the ideas to life. The idea that was implemented was ‘Battle of The Bands Huddersfield’.  This live event consisted of three student bands that were chosen through a Facebook poll with over 1000 results.  The event was hosted in The Parish, a local bar/venue in Huddersfield.

The 3nine8 starting off the night and building tension

One of the touch points of the event was most definitely just before the first band started playing, as everything was in place. This was the ‘clearance’ and most definitely showed that all group members knew what they were doing and helped engage the audience; showing them a clear route of where they could go, what they could do whilst waiting for the first band and also signalling when the ‘experience’ was starting. This helped build tension, which is definitely needed for a ‘Battle of The Bands competition’. Other moments that engaged the audience was during voting and the announcement of the winners.

Personally, I think the pre-event experience was the most challenging and also the most successful part, when it came to consumer engagement. This is because the Facebook poll that was created to choose the top 3 bands had a lot of attention, as people from all over Huddersfield (not just students!) took part in voting. A Guitar Hero stand was also implemented in the Student’s Union, to try and promote the event and increase sales. This was useful as it created another experience for consumers and brought some fun into a typical day for a University student. The stand was very popular and many students wanted to participate. Many students highlighted that it was bringing them back memories when they used to play the game. This form of engagement is by far one of the most powerful that I had seen during our promotion periods. This is because the use of something nostalgic helps the consumer remember their past involvement with the game and the one they are currently experiencing; therefore leaving them with something they can talk and think about after playing; thus leading them to thinking about our event and buying a ticket. The stand was a form of sensory marketing and consumer motivation, as it engaged the individuals with the use of some of the human senses and also it gave them a sense of belongingness; making them feel valued by us.

A consumer playing Guitar Hero on our promotional stand

 I feel that for the actual live event itself, as the event manager I was not in full control of the event experience. This is because of the nature of our event. Our live music event is also controlled by the sound engineer, as they created the ambiance through sound their chosen lighting. It was also partly controlled by the bands themselves,  as the engagement of the consumers would have depended on their choice of songs on the night. Lastly, it can be suggested that the whole event experience could have been controlled by the audience, as they were in charge of picking the bands and those who attended, as their personalities and attitudes towards the bands that were playing and even the organisers would mean the experience that was planned out could be changed. However, as we organised and knew the set lists for the bands and collected enough market research about our target audience, this was not an issue and lead to a very successful night. 

Culture, McDonalds HK and UK

McDonald's is one of the world's most well-known and leading brands in the fast food industry. However, this does not mean that the brand is marketed the same in every country. The way McDonald's promote their portfolio of products varies depending on the market and the culture of the country; therefore it is necessary that each form of marketing is delivered in a different way, in order to catch their target audience's eye.

One form of marketing that McDonald's use in a large amount of their advertisements is storytelling, which helps connect the audience to what they are seeing and engages them to follow the story and think about the products that they are selling.

In January 2016, McDonald's Hong Kong decided to promote their brand during the Chinese New Year period. This was a very wise decision as they used one of the country's traditions and ideologies to help bring an individual closer to the brand, by making them feel that the brand wants to connect to them and make the part of the company. The key message highlighted in the commercial was "

有你，就是最大祝福",which translates as "Having you is the greatest blessing".

The advert shows a child giving their mothers love, bringing them gifts and sharing food with them. Chinese New Year- McDonald's Avdert This may seem quite strange, as not once does the advert show an actual McDonald's product; however this is where the aspects of high culture comes in. In countries such as Hong Kong, China, Korea, Taiwan etc. the population tend to obsessively follow dramas that include storylines that include love, sadness and romance. The love that is spread in McDonald's advert is sweet and shows that family is very important; thus reflecting a value that they have in Hong Kong, especially during Chinese New Year. The use of these values and traditions is extremely beneficial for the brand, as it means they can connect with an audience, even without using any of their products in the advertisement.

Child sharing a sweet with his mother

This use of storytelling works incredibly well in Hong Kong, although this is not the same case in the UK. Storytelling is used in the UK commercials, but very differently, as McDonald's creates an approach that allows all consumers to know exactly where their food is from and how responsible the brand is in sourcing their products. This reflects the ideology of how important sustainability and the country's economy is.

The start of the A-Z story

The UK advertisement consists of a story of where all the ingredients come from, how they get delivered and who benefits from it. This helps connect their audience by engaging them in what could the next letter represents. This is using the concept of content analysis, as the culture's beliefs and mass communications are used to find repetitive values that are trending; which happens to be locally sourced goods, sustainability and a good economy. A-Z of McDonald's Advert

The UK advert would not work in Hong Kong, as the values and culture of the two countries are completely different; so it would be difficult to connect to an audience. Vice versa, the HK advert would not work in the UK, even though it has quite a low culture with many segments. This is because the concept of sharing and giving is not as important and Chinese New Year is not celebrated by everyone in Britain.

In conclusion, it can be correct to say the McDonald's mainly use a storyline to help consumers to follow a value  that the company and culture both believe in. However, it is also necessary that the story also links in with social structures, ecologies and ideologies of the countries in order to interact effectively with their target audience.

Culture and the use of comedy in British advertisements

Culture can be explained as a society's personality and the way in which people may view certain subjects. Culture may help an individual shape their personalities and identities.

This therefore means that if a society does not have many sub-cultures, what they view as a 'social norm' will be viewed the same by the majority of individuals. 

Culture can also be linked with beliefs and values, as it reflects the idea that what people believe in and trust, can impact the way they react to certain matters and situations. 

For example, since 2009, British financial service comparison website Go Compare has been very popular with the British audience, for good and bad reasons. The company decided to base their marketing on a large, Italian man singing his heart out. The lyrics would include the words 'Go Compare' continuously to remind the audience of the brand name. The audience also get to experience the Go Compare man annoying a couple who are struggling with financial services. This reflects a UK ecology, which is the fondness of humour in almost every subject.  

Go compare man annoying a customer

This marketing of the Go Compare advert is very smart, as it is so random, novel and annoying that the whole situation is funny and worth talking about; especially as the jingle/song is very catchy and will stick in the minds of anyone who watches the advert. This is useful, because it means that if an individual is looking for a financial service the song will spring back into their minds, even in 2016. The idea of using humour in a catchy song is very beneficial for the company, as it reflects a part of the culture in Britain and therefore becomes part of an individual's life. This means that even if the advert is not on television anymore, if 'Go Compare' is ever mentioned, the individual will remember the advertisement and think of the song. By creating this form of marketing, it is implied that instead of the company repeating the advert and making their audience get bored of seeing the same thing, they are able to make the audience help market the brand because the song is already stuck in their minds since the first few times they have heard it.   

The one and only Go Compare man

However, it can be argued whether the 'Go Compare' advert would work in every area of the world. This mainly because each society will have different ecologies, ideologies and social structures, so therefore they may not understand the whole 'humour' concept. This suggests that one view of humour may not be the exact same in every other society. For example, what one culture may find humorous may not be looked at in the same way elsewhere and may actually seem disrespectful; creating a negative experience for the consumer. 

Overall, I think the 'Go Compare' advertisement was a very successful form of marketing, as it uses annoyance and humour to keep their website gocompare.com in the minds of consumers. It is quite clear that the company is able to bring in a lot of attention, as it has been voted "most irritating advert"; which therefore shows that individuals can actually remember the advert. This hints that if they are ever in need of finding the cheapest, highest quality financial service, they will remember the ridiculous, repetitive advert and continue to their website; thus increasing the amount of people using the company's website. 

Starbucks Experiential London Store- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Sensory Marketing

In October 2015, Starbucks decided to create an 'experiential' store in London.

The new store was very different from any other Starbucks in the world and even introduced an evening menu that has a variety beers and wines. 

Starbucks is known to sell rich coffees and other hot beverages, however by adding a little twist and selling beers and wines, this meant that the store could expand their target audience; thus giving them a chance to gain more market share in the food and beverage sector. 

Starbucks displaying their choices of food and beverages

Another smart move from the brand is their involvement with technology. Starbucks typically is filled with businessmen/women with laptops or other devices, producing work alongside drinking a cup of coffee. Starbuck's idea to include wireless charging will be a great benefit to the company, as it means that customers no longer need to bring their chargers and search for a space with a socket. This will make their consumers feel valued and part of the brand; therefore creating brand loyalty. This sort of involvement creates a viable experience and links in with the 'belongingness' level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as it makes the consumer feel that they are accepted by the company and mean something to them. 

Starbucks may also meet the accomplishment-ego needs with their new store, as it includes hand-held payment units, virtual screens, table service and the freedom to wait wherever they want for their chosen drink. Their evening menu also includes prestigious meals, such as truffle mac and cheese and drinks, such as unique espressos that are not available in any other Starbucks stores.

The 'experiential' store in West End- London

Firstly, the upgrade in technology and service means that customers can order and pay for their beverages anywhere in store; therefore allowing the store to serve more customers, whilst bringing in more profit quicker. It also means that the company can also show prestige and status, because currently they are the only brand who provides this type of service. This sense of prestige and accomplishment hits another level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and creates a feeling that makes the consumer reflect their ego-needs, which are fulfilled. 

As you can see in the image, Starbucks have created quite a 'chic' look in their store, which looks very appealing in the eyes of a consumer. The layout and design draws in the customers attention, making them want to sit in and enjoy a beverage. This design reflects the theory of sensory marketing and explains that the way an area is set up can create an atmosphere that impacts whether an individual wants to come in or not. The design also includes glass windows everywhere, allowing consumers to look into the shop straight away and see the barista create the wonderful smell that they have just walked past. This form of sensory marketing is very smart as the strong smell of coffee helps draw in customers attention; making them want to go in and buy a drink. Another form of sensory marketing is the placement of the food, as seen in the top image. The food has been placed on high stands and some in glass cabinets, making it easy for consumers to see the tempting variety of products. Some of the baked good on the stands are not covered, which meets the needs of the consumer's smell and sight senses. Once these are fulfilled, the consumer can move on to the hear, touch and taste senses when they pick up the baked item, take the first bite and then appreciate the flavours. 

This form of marketing from Starbucks was an extremely good idea, as it really helped explore an individual's senses, gave them a sense of prestige and accomplishment, whilst still feeling valued by the brand. It is safe to say that this will lead to a good reputation of the brand, as it really shows that they take time in making their customers feel as relaxed and as happy as possible. 

Aldi Christmas Advert 2015- Experiential Marketing

This Christmas Aldi have produced several marketing campaigns to show off their products.
 One that was great in catching attention was their 'favourite things' advert, where the brand displayed a variety of Christmas related items from their product portfolio.

The brand decided to pair up the the minute long clip with the song, 'My Favourite Things' from the Sound of Music, a 1965 classic. This was a good idea at it helped satisfy consumer needs by creating a feeling of belongingness towards the marketing strategy through a song that reminds consumers of the past. The song is able to create memories, which reflects upon Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of needs.

Aldi's Favourite Things advert

To choose belongingness as their main stage on the hierarchy of needs, is a very smart move from the brand. This is because it can create a valued feeling, which makes the individual watching feel like they are then accepted and can be part of the company and their advertisement. This is extremely useful for Aldi, as during Christmas, the supermarket industry is very competitive and all have their own marketing strategies; meaning that Aldi can use acceptance as a form of bringing in potential consumers through building loyalty, trust and a sense of attachment. Consumers are also emotionally charged, so the more they feel involved, the more likely that Aldi will be their chosen supermarket to purchase from this Christmas.

The foods shown on the advert, such as the reindeer and gingerbread house are also become a reality, which helps the audience follow the advert more closely, as they it gives the advert some uniqueness. This is great for the younger generations who may not be familiar with the Sound of Music, as they can also be drawn into the advert by spotting their 'favourite things' that appear through the clip.
Overall, it is quite simple to say that Aldi have been smart with their marketing, by connecting to the older and younger generation. The brand has managed to meet the basic needs of their audience by showing love through their products by connecting them to their actors, which then helps connect the audience by keeping them emotionally attached to the story and song.

Nutella Name Labels UK- Experiential Marketing

In October 2015, Company Ferrero decided it was time to create a new campaign for their product, Nutella. The idea of consumer perception will be used in this blog post to show how the new Nutella campaign will affect the perception of the product.

Nutella is a hazelnut chocolate spread that is very popular with many audiences, but especially the younger generation. However, the company came up with a plan to gain more exposure and attention from other market segments. The logo for Nutella is very well-known across the UK and Ferrero took this as their advantage to sell the same product, but make it more personal for individuals.

The brand decided to create personalised labels for all consumers, in which they could then collect a unique code on the bought jar and create their label online. Consumers were also able to have the choice to create labels for friends and family and get them sent directly to their homes; therefore creating a experience for others too.

Online label creating process

This idea is a great example of experiential marketing, as it helps connect an individual to the brand. The sensory threshold of this campaign acts as a just noticeable difference. This means that the little changes and adjustments are just noticeable by the consumer, but does not change their view of the brand. This works for Nutella, as the only change is the name on the label, however the same colours and font are used; therefore meaning that when the jars are sent as gifts to other people, they are still able to notice which brand it is.

Although the idea might seem like a very smart move by Ferrero, it is not the first time that it has been done. During the summer of 2013 and 2014, Coca Cola created a 'Share a Coke' campaign, where they changed the name on the logo to popular names and then created more with personalised names. The idea was to bring happiness to people by getting consumers involved in finding bottles with their and their friends and family names on and then sharing pictures online to show their satisfaction. This is an extremely good example of how consumers participate in promoting a brand, as the use of social media such a Facebook and Twitter allowed other people to see the images of bottles people were posting online and therefore made them want to create their own 'Coca Cola experience'.

Share a Coke campaign

The fact that the name change on labels idea had been done before, shows that re-using marketing methods can be an advantage for businesses, as they know it has worked before. However, this does depend on the target market and how significant the changes are to the design of a brand, as experience can be perceived differently for each individual and some changes may lead to the brand becoming unrecognisable.

Although, as the campaign is still relatively new, it will be interesting to see whether it can become as successful as Coca-Cola's attempt. This marketing method of re-using another company's idea may become the future of promotion if Nutella are able to create a high amount of experiential impact and prove that it works through an increase in profit.