Consumers are increasingly engaging with brands through their own experiences, not through communication. It is the brand experience that is key to success today, when brands are increasingly drowning in a sea of sameness, making it harder to differentiate themselves from competitors. But according to a new study, The State of Brand Experience in the Czech Republic, sponsored by Ogilvy Consulting and GroupM, only 33 % of people have been positively surprised by a brand recently.
Brand experience is the way in which a brand's values are written into any experience people have with its products or services. It is thus not only a customer experience, but also incorporates the uniqueness and consistency of the brand while creating surprises and experiences.
Surprise is what brands in the Czech Republic have achieved most among the under-29s. "The under-29 age group is the smallest socio-demographic group in terms of representation in the population, so there is a lot of room for differentiation and reaching the older population," says Jiří Jón, Head of Strategy & Consulting at Ogilvy.
Source: Brand Experience in ČR (n=970)The vast majority of surprises were related to products and their features. Ecology is a topic that resonates especially with young people. Price is no longer a surprise for Czech consumers used to discounts. And only one per cent of respondents appreciated the approach to customers or service.
In the Czech Republic, Air Bank, Dm drogerie, Lidl, Hornbach, IKEA, McDonald's and Starbucks are the best brands in terms of credibility and delivering on their marketing propositions.
Source: Brand Experience in ČR (n=970)"At first glance, the category leaders don't have much of a head start on others in how they deliver on their propositions. However, the differences in brand strength are abysmal, even if it is a small difference in scores," explains Petr Tomáš of GroupM. "In the categories we focused on, there were very few surprising moments. People simply don't notice the unique approach of brands very much. By principle, it is more successful to surprise where people are encountering the category for the first time or after a longer period of time. On the other hand, the categories studied are used relatively frequently by people, so it is worth investing in the brand experience within them. It is the unique experience that can differentiate a brand from its competitors in the marketplace," he adds.
Source: Brand Experience in ČR (n=970)Moreover, brand experience will be an increasingly strong differentiator against competitors in the future. Thus, brands must no longer be compared only within a category, but with the entire market. It is essential to have a BX that is not only consistent but also unique.
Source: mediaguru.cz
