• Use it, or lose it.

    Posted on March 28th, 2008 by and currently 4 commenting.

    I was going to write about loyalty programs today. How my wallet can’t get any fatter with plastic frequent customer cards. How I’m tired of ‘loyalty’ programs that require me to redeem emailed or, worse, ground mailed coupons for a discount. How what I really want is to not have to work at feeling special at Starbucks, or Target, or wherever. How those stupid cards, though designed to make us feel special, actually make me feel bullied sometimes ” a plastic reminder to ‘use this card, or lose out.’

    But instead I am going to talk about hammers.

    Ok, ok… I know. What the hell.

    Just bear with me for a sec.

    20 years ago, before the ‘Decade of the brain’, if you had asked me how the brain perceives a hammer my answer would have sounded something like: ‘We see the shape of the hammer, which triggers access to the word HAMMER, and the meaning of the word HAMMER, yada yada yada.’ ” basically a cascade of facts that define what a hammer is.

    In those intervening years, we have come to realize that picture of perception is incomplete. We now know, thanks to amazing technology that provides a non-invasive window onto the working human mind, that ‘seeing’ a hammer activates motor areas of the brain.

    Yes… even when your hands are not moving, motor networks in the brain respond to a picture of a hammer. Why? Because part of how our minds perceive an object is by mentally simulating our experience with it. What defines a hammer is not just its shape, label, price ” its how we use it. How we interact with it – both the ease with which we can recreate that interaction in our minds – and how pleasant that interaction is. This may seem obvious, even boring, but I think it fantastic. Eye-opening.

    And informative for those companies trying to ‘capture’ our hearts and minds.

    Please, oh please, Mr. (or Ms.) Marketing Director, don’t make me think about pulling out a plastic card… or wading through email after email junking up my inbox… when I think of your brand. Don’t make me think about trying to remember yet another username and password to access wireless when I come to enjoy a nice environment and cup of coffee. Or about the 35 minutes of ‘press 1 to route your call correctly’ that I will have to endure to talk to a person on the phone ” who most likely won’t know the answer to my question anyway (or better yet have an entirely different answer than the guy I waited 45 minutes for yesterday).

    If it were so obvious that how we ‘use it’ is part of our relationship with a brand, why do so many companies continue to manage that relationship through marketing tactics and efficiency measures that look good on paper but just create minor, and not so minor, perceptual barriers to enjoying the brand experience? Add a splash of guilt and the feeling of resentment at being ‘trapped’ by so-called loyalty programs.

    Please Mr. Marketing Director help me love your brand by helping me envision ” at minimum, an easy and enjoyable ” at best, a remarkable ” experience when I perceive your shiny logo. Help me love how I ‘use it’. Or lose me.

  • http://www.spinningsilkmultimedia.com linkerjpatrick

    Good talk about the hammer. Of course the image of a hammer is what comes to my mind but the, excuse the pun, impression I get when I envision a hammer is the act of making an impact on a surface, the pressure, the driving force, the loud sound, the precision required to achieve the mission.

    When I envision I brand I weight the impact it makes on me as a consumer, the pressure of a focused message and the impact it has on the consumer environment.

    Thanks for reminding me to think of the hammer and the lessons we learn from “everyday objects” in the world around us.

    In our household we have made a decision to shop at a grocery store that does not require silly cards, etc. We shop their because they have quality products and excellent customer service. We had perceived this store as being more expensive for a long time but have been pleasantly surprised that we are spending no more than we have at more “bargain” places.

  • http://www.whatsthediff.com Christy

    Funny, the “hammer” analogy took me back to my information systems days, with this favorite quote:

    “When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

  • http://www.pinkertonsouth.com david benardo

    Cool. We have a new Piggy Wiggly here at the beach. I filled out the plastic “PIG” card info and got one. I never bring it with me. I just tell them “I forgot it” and they swipe theirs instead – all with a smile. Like they like me or something. I love that.

  • http://www.brainsonfire.com Carrie

    God bless Publix!!!