By: Anthony Reeves, CCO and Speaker

We are so used to making, selling, and marketing things.

It’s the interruption method most marketers use. They interrupt people’s viewing pleasure to place with an ad that touts the product.

The world has well and truly changed. My experience at Amazon and on brands like Nike, Diageo, telcos, and others taught me differently.

Amazon

I don’t see Amazon as a retailer. I see them as an Experience company. Even their internal culture is straightforward about this: To be the Earth’s most customer-centric company.

 
This is the core of Amazon [known as the Amazon flywheel]. Growth happens by focusing on the customer.


Amazon, until a handful or so years back, didn’t do a lot of advertising. Sure they sold products by retargeting customers with banner ads that ran on, off and around Amazon, but they never genuinely promoted Amazon as a company. [Of course, that has completely changed.

In 2021 and beyond, we need to think differently about building brands and belief systems. What worked years back doesn’t work as well anymore.

Nike

I am not saying TV is dead. There’s just more to it now.

Think of how the customer travels through the shopping funnel. It is entirely different; think of all the possible consumer touchpoints (from social community management, to search, to OLV, to TV, even to the point of delivery to their front door. All of that combined is an experience, and this is the brand.

“Anyone can buy an airplane. Fly on a Virgin plane and you’ll have a completely different experience.” Richard Branson

Nike announced its fourth-quarter (Q4) and annual performance for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2021, with annual profits soaring 196% over last year and 42% over 2019, which was pre-pandemic. Revenues for the fiscal year increased 19% with the fourth quarter (Q4) up 96% which includes March, April and May. [Forbes]

“FY21 (full year 2021) was a pivotal year for NIKE as we brought our Consumer Direct Acceleration strategy to life across the marketplace. Fueled by our momentum, we continue to invest in innovation and our digital leadership to set the foundation for NIKE’s long-term growth.”

Last year Nike Direct was 33% of total revenue. Digital growth reached $9 billion in sales and represented over 20% of total revenue, and Nike are committed to reaching 50% digital business by 2025. John Donahoe, president and CEO, is confident that the priorities for 2022 are in line with the consumer, focusing on both direct-to-consumer and digital strategies (the Consumer Direct Acceleration program).

In line with the Consumer

There is a line hidden in the previous paragraph. “In-Line With The Consumer.”

If you focus on what the customer wants rather than what you want to sell, you’ll naturally move forward and innovate. But, on the other hand, if you only focus on what you want, your growth will be slower, and your brand will mean less.

Innovation comes through focusing and building an experience around the customer. Not the other way around.

 

This article has been originally published on Anthony Reeve’s website