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October 2007 Archives
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October 31, 2007
Free Burritos at Chipotle
Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks | Filed under: Experience
If you walked into a Chipotle restaurant today you probably saw dozens of people wearing aluminum foil. Why? As is their annual custom, Chipotle offers free burritos to anyone who comes in dressed as a burrito, and Chipotle's signature burrito comes wrapped in foil (though at my location it was only from 5-10 p.m.--sadly, I had to pay for my 4:15 p.m. burrito supper). They call it Boo-rito and it fits in with other free burrito promotions they've done, including a fake "BurritoEZ" tax form that served as a 'buy one, get one free' coupon.
So why do they give away free burritos? It creates tremendous buzz. Many locations have lines out the door. And it fits their personality. Chipotle is quirky and edgy--asking their customers to dress up is exactly the kind of thing they would do. And you know their personality is connecting with their audience when that same quirky and edgy audience shows up wrapped in aluminum foil and hungry for a giant burrito.
Chipotle succeeds by creating an experience around a burrito. Making that kind of connection is worth a few free burritos.
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October 24, 2007
Zappos Cares
Posted by Shawn Stewart | Filed under: Inspiration
The blogosphere has been abuzz with the story of a woman who was on the receiving side of a caring gesture by someone at Zappos online shoe store.
She blogged about her experience and 155 people commented in agreement of how cool Zappos is for someone at the company going the extra mile and showing a little heart! That's 155 new fans and potentially 155 new customers just from being nice.
Isn't it amazing how often businesses overlook the simple things related to just treating people well in favor of complicated strategies for "reaching the public" and "expanding the market segment."
Remember, there isn't a person alive who doesn't love it when you're nice. Are you being good to others? If you're not, you may want to rethink your strategy. We can help.
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October 22, 2007
Embracing Personality™
Posted by Brad Abare | Filed under: Personality News
This originally appeared in our e-mail newsletter. If you're not getting it, you can sign up today.
We always push for our clients to embrace what's most true about who they are and what they do. We sound like a broken record at times, encouraging them to simplify and lock onto the core thing that makes them valuable.
Well, we've taken some of our own advice and come to some amazing clarity. What I'm about to say might be a bit of a shock ...
We are not a cause marketing agency after all. Maybe I should repeat that--we are not a cause marketing agency. I know, kind of surprising to us too.
For the last couple of years we've talked about the importance of giving and the opportunity that cause marketing presents. And you've listened--boy have you listened. It's been thrilling to watch our doors, phones and inboxes graced by directors and VPs of some of the biggest and best brands: Hyundai, Wellpoint, The Hershey Company, Young & Rubicam and others.
Continue reading "Embracing Personality™"
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October 9, 2007
Flight Attendant With Personality
Posted by Brad Abare | Filed under: Experience
I hopped a late-night flight from Atlanta to Roanoke, Va. last night. The 60-minute flight was a small puddle jumper jet with one flight attendant. After typical delays, I arrived early this morning a couple hours later than I should have.
The pain and drain of travel were dulled a bit last night by a flight attendant with spunk. Angela weaved her own personality into the obligatory flight-speak. She made us laugh. People clapped when she was done. Angela ended the flight by informing us that anyone who had complaints about the flight experience could write those on a one hundred dollar bill and leave them with her as we de-boarded the plane.
I've said it before, the personality of your people represent the personality of your business.
What is yours saying?
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October 8, 2007
An Amtrak Experience
Posted by Shawn Stewart | Filed under: Brand & Identity
The commercial above is an Amtrak commercial from this year. I like it. I'm a Coldplay fan, so I like the "Coldplay-ish" music. The whole thing makes Amtrak seem like a friendly, modern, smart way to travel. Perhaps even I should consider it for a relaxing vacation getaway.
The only problem is that's not the experience I have almost every week. I take the train to work every day. Some days, depending on the time, the train I catch is an Amtrak heading south to San Diego instead of the usual commuter train. Last night was one of those nights.
Continue reading "An Amtrak Experience"
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October 1, 2007
People Are More Interesting Than Non-People
Posted by Brad Abare | Filed under: Brand & Identity
Today's Monday Morning Memo from Roy "the Wizard" Williams is another testimony to the power of personality. Roy says that "few techniques in communication are as powerful–-or as often overlooked-–as personification: ascribing human characteristics to inanimate objects."
It's what we've been saying for years. Your business or nonprofit has a personality--just like people. And your publics interact with you based on that personality.
How's that going for you?
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