Lisbon Experiment: Five Soul-Searching Questions for Brand Marketing
This article aims to explore the insights of the Lisbon Experiment for brand marketing, stimulating brands to reflect on and optimize their strategies through five "soul-searching questions."
Introduction: The Connection Between the Lisbon Experiment and Brand Marketing
"Lisbon Experiment"? Sounds intimidating, but it's actually about studying how information, emotions, and the environment influence people's decisions when they're together.
What does this have to do with brand marketing? Hey, it has a lot to do with it! Think about it, when you do marketing, don't you want to influence consumers to buy your products? The Lisbon Experiment teaches you to stop talking to yourself and figure out what consumers are thinking so you can get them to open their wallets!
Soul-Searching Question 1: Is Your Brand Information Transparent Enough?
Would you dare to enter a store that's unclear about everything? A menu without prices, ingredients not clearly listed, and a mysterious boss. If it were me, I'd turn around and leave! Lack of brand information transparency is like a shady store, who would trust you?
The Lisbon Experiment tells you that the more ambiguous the information, the lower the sense of trust. If there's no trust, what are we talking about loyalty?
Case Study: Successful Brand Cases of Information Transparency
First, let's talk about Everlane, this brand has "honesty is the best policy" written all over its forehead. The cost of a piece of clothing, down to the price of each piece of fabric and each thread, is clearly broken down for you. The result? Consumers feel you're genuine, and trust skyrockets. Their customers are much more loyal than those of ordinary clothing brands, and the repurchase rate is directly 40% higher!
Then there's Patagonia, which sells outdoor gear. They not only tell you how things are made, but also actively admit that the production process causes pollution, and even advise you not to always buy new things. This "reverse routine" operation makes people feel that this brand has a conscience. The result? The brand value has soared all the way, and it has become a leader in the environmental protection field. In 2022, their boss directly donated the company, saying that the profits would be donated to environmental protection causes. This operation directly detonated the entire network, and sales increased by 20% that year!
How to Improve Brand Information Transparency?
Don't hide it, do the following:
- Disclose product ingredients and production processes: Let consumers consume with clarity.
- Publish corporate social responsibility reports: Tell everyone that you are also contributing to society.
- Actively respond to consumer questions: Solve problems when they arise, don't play dead.
- Embrace user reviews: Good reviews are gold, bad reviews are opportunities for improvement.
Soul-Searching Question 2: Are Your Brand Values Consistent with Consumers?
Your brand shouts "996 is a blessing" every day, but you want to attract a group of young people who pursue "work life balance"? Isn't this a joke? If brand values don't match consumers, it's like magnets repelling each other, only pushing people away.
The Lisbon Experiment proves that people like to be with people who are similar to them. The same goes for brands, consistent values can bring them closer to consumers.
Data Support: The Positive Impact of Value Alignment
Data speaks! A 2023 survey by Sprout Social showed that as many as 70% of consumers believe that brands should publicly state their position on social issues. An Edelman 2022 report also showed that 64% of consumers would increase purchases because brands fulfill their promises. What's even more important is that nearly half of consumers will directly abandon purchases because the brand's values are not in line with their own!
How to Shape Brand Values Consistent with Consumers?
Values are not slogans, you have to invest real money into them.
- Find out the details of consumers: What do they care about? What do they like? What are their views on social issues?
- Determine the core values of the brand: What do you want to represent? What do you want to convey?
- Integrate values into marketing: Advertising, content, and social media must all reflect your values.
- Speak with actions: Engage in public welfare, environmental protection, and help vulnerable groups, don't just talk about it.
In fact, many brands will adjust their brand communication strategies based on data support provided by research institutions such as Sprout Social and Edelman. For example, if research shows that consumers are paying more and more attention to environmental protection, the brand will increase its investment in sustainable development and highlight the concept of environmental protection in marketing activities.
Soul-Searching Question 3: Is Your Brand Communication Personalized Enough?
Who still watches those cookie-cutter advertisements now? What consumers want is a sense of exclusivity, a feeling of "understanding me."
The Lisbon Experiment also says that personalized information is easier to remember and more touching.
Strategies and Techniques for Personalized Communication
- Customized content: Based on user interests, push content they like to watch.
- Precision marketing: Use big data to lock in target users, don't waste money.
- User segmentation: Divide users into different groups and prescribe the right medicine.
- Interactive marketing: Let users participate, make suggestions, play games, and increase stickiness.
Case Study: Brand Cases of Personalized Communication Failure
A certain sports brand launched a "customized sneakers" event that sounded great, but when used, it was full of flaws! The colors and patterns were fixed and could not be truly DIY. And the price was very expensive, several times more expensive than ordinary models! The result? Consumers voted with their feet, and the event soon cooled down.
Why did it fail? To put it bluntly, they didn't figure out what "personalization" means. What users want is freedom and a sense of participation. This brand did the opposite, turning "customization" into "limited edition," of course no one will buy it. In my opinion, users should be allowed to design themselves, choose colors, materials, and patterns at will, that's what's interesting!
Soul-Searching Question 4: Is Your Brand Experience Memorable Enough?
Products can be copied, prices can be lowered, but a good brand experience is unique! An experience that makes people scream is more effective than spending more money on advertising.
The Lisbon Experiment tells us that good memories can make people feel deeper about things.
Elements of Creating a Memorable Brand Experience
- Emotional resonance: Touch consumers' hearts and make them resonate.
- Exceed expectations: Give consumers a surprise and make them feel that they are getting more than they paid for.
- Uniqueness: Create a unique brand image that is unforgettable.
For example, Apple's offline stores are designed like art galleries. The minimalist design style highlights the beauty of the products themselves, creating an immersive shopping environment that makes consumers feel that they are buying not products, but a way of life. Starbucks will recommend different coffees based on your taste and write your name on the cup to make you feel very considerate.
How to Measure the Effectiveness of Brand Experience?
- NPS (Net Promoter Score): See how many people are willing to recommend your brand.
- Customer satisfaction: Ask users, are you satisfied with our service?
- Repurchase rate: How many people will come back to buy again?
- Social media interaction: What did everyone say on social media? Are they praising you or scolding you?
- Social media sentiment analysis: Through natural language processing technology, analyze the content published by users on social media to determine whether their emotions towards the brand are positive, negative, or neutral.
- User review keyword analysis: Extract keywords from user reviews to understand the issues and needs that users are most concerned about, such as product quality, service attitude, and logistics speed.
Soul-Searching Question 5: Is Your Brand Continuously Learning and Adapting to Change?
The times are changing too fast. Today you are the boss, and tomorrow you may be slapped on the beach. What brands have to do is constantly learn and adjust at any time in order not to be eliminated.
The Lisbon Experiment also says that when the environment changes, group behavior will also change. Brands must also be like chameleons, adapting to the new environment.
Strategies for Continuous Learning and Adapting to Change
- A/B testing: Which marketing plan works better, use that one.
- Monitor market feedback: Listen to what consumers say as soon as possible.
- Pay attention to competitors: Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
- Embrace new technologies: New tools and new ways to play should be tried.
Case Study: Brand Cases of Successfully Adapting to Market Changes
Nokia, the former mobile phone giant, clung to the feature phone and was beaten to the ground by smartphones.
Apple is different. They have been innovating and studying what users like. From iPhone to iPad to AirPods, they can always capture the hearts of consumers. Apple's market share has soared, and its market value has also soared. It is now one of the most valuable companies in the world!
Conclusion: The Enlightenment of the Lisbon Experiment on Brand Marketing
The Lisbon Experiment is a mirror that reflects the truth of brand marketing: don't just boast, you have to truly walk into the hearts of consumers.
These five soul-searching questions are all heartbreaking. What brands have to do is constantly reflect and improve in order to survive in the fierce market competition.
Stop masturbating, ask yourself these five questions!