As 2009 turns to 2010, it’s fitting to think about new ideas for the New Year. My latest article for PROMO magazine shares four big ideas overheard at WOMMA’s recent “Creating Talkable Brands” conference that brands and agencies would be smart to think about in 2010.
Here’s a snippet…
Clear is the New Clever
It used to be that cheeky advertising was the dominant driver of brand messaging. Not today, according to Rob BonDurant, marketing vice president at Patagonia. In his keynote address, BonDurant talked about how his Patagonia marketing team follows the credo of “clear is the new clever.” He believes brands need to be more transparent in how they do business.
Patagonia is serious about being an environmentally sustainable business; they are also serious about visually showing their commitment to the environment. Their clever Footprint Chronicles website allows consumers to track the social and environmental impact of a Patagonia product through all phases of production from design to manufacturing to delivery.
Patagonia displays its clever transparency in other ways. For example, its digital catalogs are created using photos submitted by customers. (Last year, the company received 100,000 unsolicited photos from its customers.)
To create sustainable word of mouth conversations, BonDurant recommends businesses practice storytelling more than marketing, “At Patagonia, we don’t sell. We tell stories because storytelling creates a tribe of believers, which is more valuable than ‘customers.’ ”
>>> READ MORE from PROMO Magazine
