Stanley Kubrick would have been a brilliant marketer.
And much A Clockwork Orange, the marketing landscape of today has evolved into a rich, multi-layered narrative. It’s not just about creating earworms (read: Nirma) and catchy logo - rather, it’s about an authentic relationship on shared values and beliefs. Consumers aren’t just shopping anymore, they’re aligning themselves with those brands that feel like home; now the question is ‘how do brands meet these ever-rising expectations?’
And the answer - through consumer research & their journey mapping and finding out ways of branding that speaks directly to consumer values at every step.
Consumer Values and Expectations
Powerful. Self aware.
Today’s consumers are making choices based on a strong sense of purpose. They're not just buying products; they’re making statements. Sure, an iPhone is an iPhone, but an iPhone is also a guarantee of at least 75% recycled aluminium in their enclosures. Shoppers now want brands that echo their personal ethics and beliefs.
If it was still 2017, we wouldn’t have been writing this blog. But post COVID-19, fueled with ‘indifference fatigue’ and ‘future-anxiety’, consumer buying behaviors are shifting from being driven by cost sensitivity to righteousness. It’s about making a stand; however small it may be.
But that’s not all. This change in values has added a new layer of complexity to the consumer journey mapping process. Let’s explore that next.
Consumer journey mapping with Values in Mind
Imagine it, if you will, as akin to the quest in The Lord of the Rings - it's long, winding, and full of a series of pivotal moments. Every touchpoint a brand has with a consumer-whether that's online, in-store, or through social media-is a moment where values can either be reinforced or lost. It's not about the journey per se - the purchase - but rather about all those minute touch points that define whether a customer is understood or not.
Consider Whole Foods; their customers aren’t just coming for grocery, but rather a value-driven experience. How about if, through their app, shoppers could monitor the positive impact of their purchases, such as reduced waste or support for local farmers?
By integrating these values into every touchpoint, from app engagement to checkout, Whole Foods turns shopping into a digitize shopping experience that resonates with customers who prioritize sustainability and ethical practices. It’s like each grocery trip becomes a chapter in a larger story of positive impact.
The trick here is to make each moment feel personal. With each touchpoint, the consumer is subconsciously asking, Does this brand align with who I am? Does it share my values? And when the answer is yes, you just hit the jackpot.
Incorporating Values into Branding
Here’s the crux of the matter: branding values into a shopping journey is not a mere checkbox exercise meant to satisfy a highly vocal, but insignificant minority. If a brand wants to come off as ethical, it can’t just slap a green sticker and call it a day - it needs to embody that ethos in everything it does.
Take Patagonia, for instance. Their entire mission is centred around environmental responsibility, and it’s more than just marketing. Patagonia’s values are integrated at every step, from sustainable sourcing of materials to encouraging customers to repair rather than replace their products. It never changes, never falters, and the customers trust it because it feels authentic. The values are lived, not just marketed.