Retail Branding: January 2008 Archives

In recent years social responsibility has become all the rage in the corporate world, with companies in every industry eager to be seen as "green" and "socially responsible". Who would blame them? A 2007 Cone Cause Evolution and Environmental Survey revealed that 92% of Americans have a more positive image of a company that supports a cause they care about. Even better, 87% are likely to switch from one product to another (price and quality being equal) if the other product is associated with a good cause.

So when Wal-Mart announced on January 23rd its ambitious plans to become a greener company and offer cheaper health care to companies, it was easy to be skeptical. Wal-Mart has long been known for its low wages and often devastating impact on small businesses around its stores. But the Bentonville giant can't be discounted that easily. What makes Wal-Mart stand out is its sheer size: over $350 billion in sales annually, and a supply chain second to none.

What does this mean? If Wal-Mart actually follows through on its promises (which include forcing suppliers to meet stricter ethical standards, selling hybrid cars, and helping companies manager health care costs), the impact could be huge. Not only because Wal-Mart is so big, but also because other retailers will want to avoid being left in the dust.

Is Wal-Mart doing all this because it wants to help the environment? Probably not. But in this case, it might not matter.

-"Wal-Mart Chief Offers a Social Manifesto", 01/24/08, New York Times
-"Wal-Mart 2006 Annual Report", Wal-Mart.com

We're happy to announce that two of the smartest minds in branding will be visiting us at the Emory Marketing Forum on February 28th - Bernd Schmitt and Lou Carbone.  The event will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel Buckhead in Atlanta.  Learn more here and buy your tickets here >>

The event will be held in two sessions:

Session 1: Customer Experience Management

An attractive customer experience is critical for differentiating brands. In his presentation, Dr. Bernd Schmitt will cover tools and methodologies for managing the brand experience. He introduces the five-step Customer Experience Management (CEM) framework, a comprehensive tool for managing the customer experience and connecting with customers at every touch-point. The framework demonstrates how CEM enables managers to:
" Gain original insight into the customer's world
" Develop an experiential strategy platform
" Create a unique and vivid brand experience
" Provide dynamic interactions at the customer interface
" Innovate continuously to improve customers' lives.

As part of the CEM framework, Mr. Schmitt will present cases of successful CEM implementations in a wide variety of industries. Join us to see how he links customer experience to customer equity - the financial value of customers.

Session 2: Experience Engineering

Through illustrations from Fortune 100 clients, Dr. Lou Carbone will share how the systematic design and delivery of experience clues can have immense impact on customer value, loyalty and the bottom line. Experiencing thought leader and author Lou Carbone will change the way you think about customer experience forever. His message to business leaders and professionals is simple: Create customers that come back and customers that tell others, by connecting emotionally with them through the experiences you deliver.

Carbone urges business to focus on managing experience "clues", conscious and unconscious, because experiences are what customers value most. He stresses that the world has moved from making and selling to sensing and responding-a dynamic change that requires new competencies.

Complete info here >>