The Devil In The Detail

 

With this photo and some corresponding lines, I thought I’d add to the point Rob made on his blog about the importance of attention to detail and subtlety in brand communication, which Converse are doing very well.

UK-based retailer, Ted Baker are also doing a great job at it, at least in its newly opened Singapore shop (their first). This is possibly why I ended up buying a pair of steeply priced jeans there recently. Funny thing is, I didn’t actually think they were overpriced. I felt that paying ‘a little extra’ could be justified despite knowing my mother would have told me they were, had she known.

What really impressed me was that everything in their store, as well as everything about their products seemed well thought through, carefully planned to make a positive difference. And it worked, evidently, because I’m quite a careful spender who would normally deem the price too high by rationalizing (and make Mum proud). Only this time I didn’t. I liked walking around in the store as well, which I can assure you doesn’t happen in a lot of stores. I would like to go back even without any plans on buying anything. Yes, I do realise that last sentence makes me sound like a woman.

Too many brands are forgetting the importance of making positive, long-lasting impressions on us consumers. They care only about getting noticed and are happy by merely entering and hovering in the consumer’s consideration set together with a number of their competitors, thinking this will secure a satisfying size of the pie. But it’s not good enough to be a winner, to rise above the rest. Not in today’s marketplace where brand choice and product parity are increasing exponentially by the day. Logically, there will simply be too many players in the consideration set. The size of the pie each brand gets will shrink proportionately. Advertising has a role to play here, of course, but it’s vital that brand owners pull their weight as well. So well done Ted Baker.

From the wallpapered interior of their fitting rooms to the branded receipt envelope and the little tag on the inside of their/my jeans (which is probably about as much as you want to know about this particular space) it all made a really positive impression on me. It’s all done with the finesse, subtlety and style which ultimately set the brand apart. Are they as good at these things in the UK?

Lastly, I have to say that I won’t believe Rob’s actually bought those Converse shoes he’s talking about until I see them. Because I’ve known him and seen him almost daily for two years and he’s never worn anything but Birkenstocks. Never.

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Posted in: Planning-related