2 minutes estimated reading time
Positive Brand Friction is a report that looks at the impact of customer experience on brand and how to get the best benefit out of it in the long term. The report was launched by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) at the Effworks Global Conference.
Positive Brand Friction identifies a number of factors that increase the complexity in customer experience:
- CX is usually designed around business functions rather than the customer
- Ownership (but not necessarily responsiblity) falls under different business functions. Collaboration and swift decision making become even more important
- The conflict between identifiable efficiency gains through cost reductions versus more variable returns through effectiveness and value-growth focus
- Investment differences between operating expenditure (OPEX) and capital expenditure (CAPEX). This can make it harder for marketing to deliver long term value where OPEX is reduced
Positive Brand Friction identifies four areas of focus for organisations and their agencies:
- Experience intelligence / measurement. Measurement, insights and reporting system to discovers places where the experience can be improved
- Collaboration rather than individual ownership of the experience. This also results in a customer focused culture
- Evolving to get the right balance of positive brand friction without impacting on customer effort
- Marketing growing into its role as the experience leader and influencer balancing customer and business value
More here.
Kazakhstan gets their reputation work in to balance the new Borat film on Amazon Prime Video. Rather than righteous indignation, they’ve respun Borat’s catch phrase and put together a number of short spots that challenge viewers expectations of Kazakhstan.
Big Daddy Kane is one of the unsung heroes of hip-hop, Micro-Chip put together this great essay on him. Take out 15 minutes and give it a read: Big Daddy Kane’s Voice is an Instrument – Micro-Chop.
I happened to come across this Doug DeMuro video reviewing the BMW X5 M Competition. I haven’t suddenly turned into a car nut, but I found DeMuro’s dive into the unusual aspects of the driver experience was fascinating. What becomes apparent is how much digital has become part of the car. Look at the remote finger-twirling gesture control to alter audio volume at 7:00 in. It all feels very laboured compared to other digital products and too feature heavy.
More on design related content here.