Emotional, Sensory Experiences Help Nike, IBM, And Other Top Brands

Posted by Anthony Zumpano on September 21, 2009 11:00 AM

Nike was a winner in Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2009, gaining 4% in Brand Value.

One of several companies to break through the recession-year clutter with promotions that built an emotional bond, Nike teamed up with Apple (up a dazzling 12%, cracking the BGB top 20 for the first time) for the virtual-but-actual Human Race, in which runners from all over the world race locally, but are connected globally via the iPod-based Nike+ running system.

Other brands maintained their relationship with customers during rough times by offering personal, tangible experiences -- what Interbrand's report calls a “sensory customer journey”: T-Mobile's well-documented flash mob event that drew 14,000 people to Trafalgar Square to sing the Beatles’ “Hey Jude”; IBM's Smarter Planet initiative, highlighted by a four-day crowdsourcing event called the Smarter Planet University Jam; the McDonald’s McCafé that retrofitted its familiar restaurants with coffee bars; and Disney's online world that lets Tinker Bell's fans become fairies themselves.

The common element in these messages is that they avoid simply directing a one-way bombardment of stimuli at the customer. All offer an interactive exchange that connects a customer to the brand.

More about: Interbrand, Best Global Brands, Nike, McDonald's, iPod, Apple, T-Mobile, Disney, IBM

Nigel Lamb says:

So this is real evidence that brands that 'engage' with their customers do achieve more.

So is this another piece of evidence that confirms that social media is the future of brand marketing?

September 22, 2009 07:40 AM #

bubu demasio says:

There's a reason that they are the top brands and excel at what they do.

September 22, 2009 08:06 AM #

catharin eure says:

Experiential marketing, done well, creates "brand love". Not awareness that is the tangible result from the brand experiences that leave the customer thinking and saying "I just love this ( fill in brand name here )" Brand Love, like in life, takes a relationship with your consumer that takes time, exposure and puts them first.

September 22, 2009 11:38 AM #

Geert Stox says:

But let's not forget that all these brands -like'em or not- excel in their tangible product and service offer: the real core of any brand.

September 22, 2009 03:38 PM #

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Keep up the good work bro.Your article is really great and I truly enjoyed reading it.Waiting for some more great articles like this from you in the coming days.

March 4, 2010 01:12 AM #

research paper service says:

Nikes really conquered the world with its quality and design!

April 6, 2010 04:53 AM #

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2222 Keep up the good work bro.Your article is really great and I truly enjoyed reading it.Waiting for some more great articles like this from you in the coming days.
March 4, 2010 01:12 AM # Reply

April 12, 2010 11:06 PM #